


A Fair Trade

by Ladytalon



Category: Stargate: SG-1
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-09
Updated: 2010-08-20
Packaged: 2017-10-10 00:45:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 47,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/93403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladytalon/pseuds/Ladytalon





	1. First Encounters

**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** First Encounters  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-1, SG-13  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set in Season 3 after _Deadman Switch_; the Dixons in this particular 'verse comes from my series [_A Love Less Ordinary_](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/tag/dave).

[  
____spacer____](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

_____________________________________

Striding down the ramp as the wormhole closed behind him, Aris Boch smirked over at O'Neill, who was staring at him as if they'd never seen each other before. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?" he demanded.

Aris jerked his chin towards General Hammond. "Why don't you ask him?"

The other man immediately swiveled. "Sir, may I take this opportunity to remind you that this…_he_…tried to turn us over to the Goa'uld and used to work for them?"

"Used to, O'Neill. Notice I used the past tense," Aris pointed out, his eyes sliding over the groups of armed men and cataloguing all possible avenues of escape in case he wanted to make an early exit.

O'Neill opened his mouth to respond, but Hammond beat him to it. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Boch. As Colonel Dixon has no doubt informed you, we'd like Dr. Frasier to conduct a few tests to see if she can duplicate your…immunity…to the Goa'uld and their technology."

Aris favored the older man with a long look. "I hope he's informed you that I only agreed to this as a trade."

"Sir…"

"It's all right, Colonel." Hammond returned his look, not even bothering to glance down as Aris touched his fingertips to the zat'nik'tel strapped to his thigh. "We can discuss your terms further as soon as you're ready." Well. It was good to know that the SG teams weren't the only ones with some measure of courage.

"Oh, I think my schedule is clearer than it's ever been." He followed the others – O'Neill trailed after Aris, probably thinking to gain possession of one of the weapons riding on his hips. Aris shook his head slightly. _Humans_. They always thought they knew everything there was to know about…well, everything. Walking into a room with a long table in the center of it, he nodded in greeting to Dave Dixon and his wife Sarge. He'd met the two of them with Dixon's team on some backwater planet where he'd been trading for more Roshnah; the deal had started to go bad as soon as the Tau'ri had shown up, but he'd managed to get enough of the drug to last until the next 'meeting' scheduled.

Sarge smiled back as she swiveled her chair closer to Dixon to remind him that she wasn't on the market, but Aris just shook his head as if disappointed. She was worth a second look no matter who she attached herself to, but he had no intentions toward her no matter what she or Dixon might think. Women of any species were nothing but trouble, and trouble was something he avoided like So'kar's hell planet. "Not causing trouble already are you, Aris?" Sarge asked as if reading his mind.

"Oh, trouble seems to find me just fine without me going to look for it." He dropped into a nearby chair where he could keep an eye on the door, and was mildly surprised to see Teal'c walking in to join them.

"We meet again, Aris Boch." The big Jaffa inclined his head respectfully and sat on the other side of the table next to O'Neill, who was still staring.

Aris nodded back, then shifted his attention back to General Hammond as the other members of SG-1 walked in to take seats around the table. "Here's the deal – you find an antidote to Roshnah, and I let you do whatever tests you want. Captain - excuse me, _Major_ – Carter seemed to think it'd be worthwhile." Predictably, O'Neill promptly put up a fuss and Aris stopped listening. The Dixons didn't seem too concerned with the whole thing, so he shifted his focus over to them. "Will they accept, or not?"

The younger man shrugged slightly. "It's hard to say, but I'd say you've got a good shot at what you want."

"Well, good. I've got other things I could be doing rather than helping you humans out."

Sarge gave him that dangerous sort of smile that meant she was probably thinking about slipping a knife into his side….again. "You're generosity itself, Aris."

He laughed just because he knew it would irritate her, and pushed his chair back to stand. Walking over to the large plate glass window overlooking the room where they kept the Stargate, Aris ignored the guards that moved closer to him and looked down. Another SG team was assembling down below and his curiosity was piqued when he noticed that, unlike many of the rest of them, this particular team included a woman. She looked up as if she'd felt him watching, and their eyes met for a fraction of a second before Hammond reclaimed his attention.

"Mister Boch, I think we can come to some sort of arrangement…"

Aris stepped back from the window and turned with a slight smile. "Why, that's wonderful news."

_ _ _ _ _

Janet Frasier turned to her newest patient as she readied a syringe for a blood sample. "How long ago did you take the last dose, Mister Boch?"

The big man eyed the syringe warily. "Last one was about ten minutes ago. Where're you planning on _putting_ that?"

She tried to keep from smiling at the suspicious demand – from all that Sam and Daniel had told her about the bounty hunter before, she'd made a bet with herself that he wasn't used to doctors. "I just need to test some of your blood…"

He shifted on the exam table restlessly. "With a needle."

"From the looks of just that one scar on your chin, I'd say that this needle would be the least painless wound you've ever taken," Janet said, making sure to keep her tone free of amusement. As she'd known he would, he immediately sat up straight and glared. "Just hold out your left arm, please, Mister Boch."

"Call me Aris. My people haven't had much use for doctors," the Hunter said self-consciously, pushing the silvery material of his sleeve up past his elbow. "The Goa'uld put a stop to that."

Janet tied a cord around his arm, flicking her finger in the hollow of his elbow to raise a vein. "With your help, I'm sure we can work on putting a stop to the Goa'uld."

Aris kept his eyes on the needle. "If you say so."

Even after her experiences with people from the planets the SG teams gated to, she still wasn't prepared for it when she slid the needle into the bounty hunter's arm and saw that his blood was a peculiar shade of yellow. Her surprise must have registered on her face, since Aris laughed and started to ask questions about the medical equipment in the infirmary. He patiently submitted to a full round of tests and was strapping his armor back on when the klaxon signaling an incoming traveler sounded. "That's bound to be Jennifer," Janet said to herself, relieved that the sergeant would be back to help.

"Who's Jennifer?" Aris asked suddenly, and she was startled despite herself at the sharpness of his hearing.

"You'll meet her soon enough," she said dismissively, turning her back to hide a smile. After nearly two hours in his company, Janet had a fair idea of the kind of man Aris Boch really was… and how Jennifer would react to him. Janet smiled in greeting as the woman in question walked in, tying her hair up in a ponytail. "Welcome back. How'd it go?"

The slight, dark-haired woman smiled back. "Thanks. It went good, I think, but I don't think I'll ever get used to going through the-" she broke off immediately as she realized they weren't alone, and a flush stained her cheeks as she found Aris eyeing her interestedly. "I should, um, go change..."

She left hurriedly, and Janet shook her head as she glanced over at Aris and found him grinning as he finished latching the armor onto the top of his boots. "I'm sure you'll want to get settled in to your quarters now," she said pointedly.

"There's no hurry," he replied, keeping his eyes on the door as he reached for his container of water.

"Then I'm sure you'll want to go get something to eat." The last thing she needed was a flustered nurse trying to help study the sample of Roshnah that Aris had given her – in her state Jennifer would probably spill it if he were still there and the rate with which the bounty hunter was going through the stuff, they needed every drop.

He took a swallow from the metal flask and hooked it back on his belt, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I'm not that hungry."

"Then one of the Airmen can show you around the base," she said exasperatedly, pointing towards the door. "_Go_."

Aris laughed. "Well, since you asked so sweetly."  
As the door closed behind him, Janet rubbed her temples wearily – this was going to be…fun.

_ _ _ _ _ _

  
After taking a shower and getting dressed as quickly as if the entire SGC could walk in on her at any moment, Jennifer scowled at her reflection in the mirror. What was wrong with her? A sergeant in the United States Air Force wasn't supposed to turn redder than three fields of beets and take off at a dead run whenever a man appeared unexpectedly. She very careful didn't think of the fact that _she_ had been the one to 'appear' since he'd apparently been sitting there on the examination table before she'd even walked in the infirmary.

It was the same man who'd been looking down at her through the briefing room window, she suddenly realized. Why had he been staring at her? She stopped her hand from reaching for the scented body lotion she preferred to use rather than perfume and scowled at herself again. There was no need to dress up simply because there happened to be a good-looking man within a thirty mile radius. Who was he, anyway?

Jennifer cleared her throat and checked her reflection a final time before swinging a lab coat over her shoulders and walking out in the corridor. Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson passed her on the way to the infirmary and she nodded politely at them as she moved by; she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the man walking along an adjoining corridor. He was looking around with a slightly bored look on his face and hadn't seen her yet, so she inched behind the corner so she could study him without him knowing about it. He had to be one of the SGC's allies, or he wouldn't have been allowed to walk around freely… three Airmen rushed past to shadow him and the man turned to scrutinize them before looking directly at her.

_Oh, geez. Why does he have to be right in the_ way? Taking a deep breath, Jennifer raised her chin and strode down the hall with her eyes fixed on the infirmary doors that were just past him. "Excuse me," she said to the Airmen, who immediately moved. She could feel the big man's eyes on her as she walked past, and her cheeks heated when he made a sound of amusement. Trying not to gallop down the hall to escape him, Jennifer couldn't quite keep from walking a little faster. Janet looked up as she came back in, the expression on her face indicating that she knew exactly what had happened.

"I tried everything to get him out of here," the doctor said, looking as if she were hiding a smile. "You'll have to get used to him, I'm afraid. He'll be around for a while."

"Who is he?" Jennifer asked, slowly regaining her equilibrium.

Janet explained about the 'deal' he'd made with General Hammond, and what part the medical staff would play in that deal. "It's much more helpful actually having Aris here instead of a sample of his blood, but Colonel O'Neill has made it clear that he's not to be trusted."

"What does General Hammond think about it?"

The doctor shrugged as she reached for her clipboard. "He says that we should treat him as any potential ally is treated."

Jennifer grinned. "And what do _you_ think about it?"

Janet smiled back. "I think that my mother would have called him a scoundrel and tossed him out on his ear. Now, we have several samples to analyze – go ahead and start on the bloodwork. I'll need to study this Roshnah he's given us." She moved off and Jennifer slipped her protective glasses onto her face as she bent over the small vials of bright yellow blood, confident now that she was back in her element.

  


tbc…  
___________________________________________________


	2. Resting His Case

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [dave dixon](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/dave%20dixon), [dave/sarge](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/dave/sarge), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [jack o'neill](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/jack%20o%27neill), [sarge](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/sarge), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1), [teal'c](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/teal%27c)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Resting His Case  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-1, SG-13  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set in Season 3 after _Deadman Switch_

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 2:** Resting His Case**   
_

[  
____spacer____](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

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Sam ran a hand through her hair as she tried to think up a way in which she could extract Colonel O'Neill from this situation before the whole thing got out of control. She should have remembered that Aris would be in the infirmary with Janet, and suggested that SG-1 go for their post-mission check ups a little later than usual. Whenever the two men got within a five mile radius of each other, this always happened.

Sergeant Taylor circled around the bed with a blood pressure kit and Aris' eyes followed her as he replied to Jack's latest verbal riposte. "This coming from a society that values 'cat macros' as high class entertainment."

O'Neill glared around the room. "Alright, who gave him access to the internet?"

Carter had a difficult time keeping a straight face at the accusation in his voice. "We couldn't exactly keep him away from it, sir."

"I find the image concerning the cheeseburger to be most amusing," Teal'c said calmly.

Jack clapped a hand to his forehead. "You did _not_ just say that."

Aris shook his head, a mock-regretful look on his face. "I rest my case."

"You've been doing nothing _but_ resting your case for the past two weeks," the colonel sniped. "You never really struck me as a homebody… I'm sure we can find a spot for you on one of the SG teams, make you feel _useful_."

The bounty hunter smiled slowly, making Sam wonder just what he was hiding. If he was only here to 'help' with providing samples of his blood, then she was as bald as General Hammond. "Oh, I like it where I am."

"Let's hope you like the hall just as much, because that's where you're going," Dr. Frasier said, coming in the room and reaching out for the clipboard that the sergeant held out to her.

"Yes ma'am," Aris said deferentially, grinning as he hopped down from his perch. "What're you doing later?"

Janet rolled her eyes. "Keeping you _out_ of here – now go away before I put you to work."

The big man laughed, glancing over at where Jennifer Taylor was checking Daniel's blood pressure. "Consider me gone."

"I wish I could," Jack grumbled under his breath.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _

Although he'd originally thought that laying low would be the best thing to do, the novelty of not having anything to do had long since worn off. Aris paced restlessly, occasionally glancing over at the door where he could see no less than four guards standing outside. It wasn't as if he minded having a constant watch set on him - he'd expected it, after all - but he felt the need to do something that had nothing to do with…well, doing nothing.

A sudden grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he thought of the shy little nurse down at the infirmary- now _that_ was worthwhile if anything was. Aris knew better by now than to become attached to anyone, but he enjoyed her blushes and scandalized stares whenever he said something that would have made his mother hit him alongside the head with the biggest stick she could find. Little Jennifer was quiet and extremely serious but on the occasions he'd succeeded in drawing her out, she'd proved to be quite the conversationalist. Aris enjoyed her company, but that didn't mean anything.

_Roshnah_ itch crawled up his spine and he obediently reached for his flask, emptying one of the bright blue packets into the water before setting it to his lips and drinking. Renewed strength spread through his limbs and Aris sighed in relief, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth in an unconscious gesture to ensure that none of the drug had been wasted. The big man settled back down on the narrow bunk he'd been given, picking up one of the well-used magazines to thumb through it disinterestedly. He was convinced that leaving him several copies of the _Ladies Home Journal_ had been O'Neill's idea, but they were better than nothing. At least this way if he was ever in a life-or-death situation and required to bake a pie, he'd know what to do.

He tossed the magazine aside, tucking one arm behind his head and staring up at the ceiling as he thought back to what O'Neill had said earlier. "_I'm sure we can find a spot for you on one of the SG teams, make you feel **useful**_." Aris had to admit, the idea certainly had its appeal… but he'd never been one for teamwork. _I work alone, it's better that way. And I sure as hell don't take orders from anyone_.

Why did Teal'c willingly place himself in a subordinate position to Jack O'Neill? It didn't make much sense, as far as Aris was concerned. If you were free, what reason could you possibly have to submit to anyone else? So far, he'd refused every attempt of the humans to separate him from his armor – it was just another way to distance him from his true identity. He was here to make a trade, and that was it…nothing more, nothing less. He didn't owe these Earthlings a single thing beyond what had been agreed upon.

Swinging his long legs over the edge of the bed, Aris stood and moved to place his hand on the door knob. He was through the door and past the guards before they had time to react, and he ignored the sound of their footsteps following him. He found Teal'c in his quarters, seated cross-legged in front of a row of candles. "Aris Boch," the Jaffa greeted, his eyes closed. "Are you in need of assistance?"

Aris crossed his ankles and sunk down to the floor across from the other man. "I'm curious about something."

Teal'c opened his eyes and looked at him, one eyebrow arching slightly. "How may I be of service?"

"Service is actually what I came to ask you about."

"You are referring to my position in SG1."

"Yup." Aris cocked his head to one side, his eyes meeting Teal'c's. "Why?"

The Jaffa regarded him seriously. Not that he was ever anything _but_ serious. "The Tauri are committed to ridding the galaxy of the Goa'uld's rule, despite the odds against them. As I've said to you previously, they value freedom." Teal'c blinked slowly. "Freedom is what you hope to gain, is it not?"

"Is that what you have, taking orders from O'Neill?" Aris countered.

Teal'c smiled slightly. "When I die, I shall die free… thanks to Colonel O'Neill."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
Jennifer watched as he took a long drink from the strange metal flask. Heat started low in her belly as he wiped a thumb across the corner of his mouth to catch the overflow, sucking the light blue droplets from his finger absently. Taking a deep breath, she moved into the mess hall purposefully and picked out her lunch – Aris was still tapping his fingers against the tabletop, lost in thought as he stared off into space.

Even though she expected him to see her and immediately move in closer, he didn't appear to notice her at all. _That's odd_. Jennifer had begun to grow accustomed to his flirtatious nature and even started to look forward to rebuffing his advances. She'd never seen him this serious before, and was gathering her courage to sit down beside him when Colonel Dixon saved her the trouble. "Keep thinking that hard and you'll hurt yourself," Dave joked, dropping into the seat across from him.

Jennifer picked a table close to them and lifted her spoon, trying to listen in. "I'll keep that in mind," Aris replied equably, nudging his half-finished plate of macaroni and cheese away from him. "How can you eat this stuff?"

"What, mac and cheese? Rose loves it," Dave exclaimed, reaching for it. "You gonna finish this?"

Aris shook his head, watching the other man pull the plate over and stab a fork in enthusiastically. "Need to watch my girlish figure."

"Your loss," the colonel said around his mouthful, gesturing with another forkful of chicken-flavored pasta.

"If I felt like accompanying a team through the Gate – you know, if I was ever sufficiently _bored_ \- what would it take to make that happen?" Aris asked suddenly, examining his nails as if he'd never seen them before.

Dave swallowed hastily. "Are you serious?"

Aris gave him an arch look. "You can't have my armor, and you can't have my weapons."

"But I thought you-"

"And you can't have any of my _other_ equipment, either."

"I thought you didn't want to-"

"And I'll be damned if I call anyone 'sir'," Aris finished.

"With a positive attitude like that, you'll have no problem fitting in. Maybe I should ask Jack if he'd take you," Dave said wryly. "I'm sure SG1 would be overjoyed."

Aris rapped his knuckles on the table warningly. "I didn't say I'd do it. I simply asked if it'd be a problem if I was ever _bored_."

"Yeah-huh." Dave glanced around the room and smiled when he noticed Jennifer sitting near their table. "Hey, look who it is! Come sit with us," he called, waving her over.

She tried to demur. "Oh, I don't think-"

"We'll just come sit with _you_, then," Aris interrupted, winking over at Dave who immediately grinned back and grabbed his tray. She suppressed a sigh when the two men settled into seats around her chosen table. "What did you get?" he asked curiously, reaching over for her tray.

Jennifer slapped his hand away before she could stop herself. She felt her cheeks grow hot at his soft laugh, and buried her face in the mug of coffee she'd brought along. "Didn't you already eat?" Dave asked. "Next time, just stab him with your fork," he advised her.

"It tasted like _qui'nra_," Aris argued.

"How are we supposed to know what that is?"

"Everything tastes like _qui'nra_."

"Space chicken, huh? Cool."

Jennifer shook her head and concentrated on her lunch, trying hard not to encourage either of them by laughing. If Aris ever discovered that she actually enjoyed his company, he'd be even more impossible than he was now.

  
_tbc_  
________________________________________

  
Previous [Next](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/338734.html?#cutid1)


	3. </strong> First Time For Everything

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [sg13](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/sg13), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** First Time For Everything  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-13  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set in Season 3 after _Deadman Switch_

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 3:** First Time For Everything**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

After hearing the various comments of the SG team members who'd had Aris assigned to accompany them, Dave finally requested that the Ilempiri be transferred to SG-13. Sarge wasn't best pleased with the situation, but she'd begun to get used to Aris' manner. "He's been on his own for a long time, Rose," he explained as they picked up their P90s. "He just needs some time to adjust to being on a team. Besides, he's not a bad shot."

"If he stopped acting so damned superior all the time, I wouldn't have a problem with him," his wife said sourly. "Who's going to watch out for you on the longer missions when I'm with the kids?"

Dave smiled down at the petite blonde who could either make his life heaven or hell, depending on her mood. "Just the memory of your towering fury will probably stop him dead in his tracks if he tries anything, Rose."

She snorted. "C'mon, Big Boy – betcha five bucks he's still not wearing his uniform."

"That's easy money," Dave protested.

Sarge held her hand out, palm up in expectation, when they arrived in the Gate Room to find Aris lounging at the end of the ramp still wearing his body armor. Dave promptly slapped a GDO into her hand. "Gee, thanks."

"Any time, Mrs. Dixon." Looking over at Aris, Dave frowned at him. "Something wrong with the uniform we gave you?"

Aris gave him a guileless smile. "Oh, it didn't fit."

"We'll get another in a different size, then."

"I doubt that'll fit, either."

"You _do_ look like you've put on weight," Sarge said sweetly.

Aris tilted his head slightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he looked down at her. Dave braced himself for the inevitable confrontation but Aris only asked, "Where's Balinsky?"

The red-haired scientist burst through the door, waving a pad of paper. "Don't leave without me!"

"Slow your roll, Cameron – when have we ever left without you?" Sarge asked.

The three men exchanged glances, and Dave just had to ask. "Slow your roll?"

Rose shrugged. "Danny."

At the mention of their eldest, Dave shook his head. "The things that kid brings home with him."

"Shall we?" Aris asked pointedly.

"We shall."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _

  
In the days that followed Aris' assignment to Colonel Dixon's team, Jennifer had to admit that the SGC ran a lot smoother without him stirring things up. Not that he ever consciously _tried_ such a thing, but trouble seemed to follow Aris Boch as closely as his own shadow. She smiled as she pushed her lab glasses back off her forehead, thinking of the things he'd said to Colonel Simmons when the man had threatened to turn him over to the NID. Jennifer wasn't sure she'd ever actually seen an officer come that close to wetting himself before.

"You should smile more often, Sergeant," Aris' voice startled her. "You're far too serious."

She turned to see him leaning in the door, and frowned. "Have they heard of _knocking_, on your planet?"

"Sure. But we're not on my planet, we're on yours," he teased. "You've got something I need, sweetheart, and I'm not leaving until I get it."

Swallowing hard, Jennifer looked up at him. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Aris approached slowly and bent down until their faces were mere inches apart. "Roshna, Sergeant."

"Oh," she said, feeling foolish. "I knew that."

"What did you think I meant?" Aris asked innocently.

She felt her face start to heat up. "How much do you need this time? Major Carter brought some in from the Tok'ra, but I haven't finished testing it for purity yet," she babbled, feeling relieved when Aris stepped back. Why did he always have to try to embarrass her?

"Just enough for two days." He wandered over to one of her testing stations, lifting up a beaker of pale blue liquid. "Is this what I think it is?"

Jennifer hurried over to take it from his hands. "Be careful with that," she scolded. "It's not ready."

"When will it be?" he asked, still looking at the beaker of liquid. They'd been experimenting with samples of roshna and attempting to engineer a substitute, but it hadn't been tested yet… mostly because there was no _way_ of testing it; Aris was the only person they knew with an addiction to it. When she pointed this out, he frowned at it. "So test it on me."

"That's not going to happen," Dr. Frasier interrupted, coming in the door. "And if I find you giving that container so much as a longing glance, you'll regret it."

Aris made a show of snatching his hands back. "Right."

She gave a sigh of relief when he finally sauntered off. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that man."

Janet smiled and came over to cast a critical eye over the engineered roshna samples. "You shouldn't let him get to you – he's like an adolescent boy who picks on the girls because he wants attention."

"If you say so," she said dubiously. Putting aside her clipboard, Jennifer gestured towards the beaker that Aris had been touching. "We still have a ways to go before we have a viable substitute, let alone a way to wean the entire population of the Ilempiri homeworld off of the drug completely… but from what I've been seeing, I think it's tied to endorphin production."

Dr. Frasier reached for her notes and began flipping through them. "Go on," she invited.

Taking a deep breath, Jennifer began to explain excitedly. "For the past week, whenever Aris came in for a checkup, I'd been taking blood samples both from the time _before_ he's taken a dose and directly _after_; in each case his endorphin level was significantly higher after the roshna was introduced into his system."

"That doesn't mean-"

Jennifer flapped her hands to apologize to Janet for the interruption. "I know his body chemistry is different, and that we can't expect that his physiology to mirror ours exactly, but the last few times I've measured his endorphin level something was different!" She pointed towards the page Janet had in her hands. "See that? What I'd started to believe was the normal increase didn't happen. And you know why?"

Janet gave her an indulgent look, plainly hiding a smile at how excited she was getting. "Why is that?"

"Both times, a member of SG-13 was here with him…and the entire base has had experience with what happens whenever that particular Gate team gets together…" Jennifer finished her explanation, and fidgeted nervously. "So, what do you think?"

The other woman pursed her lips, looking at the chart closely. "Well, it's certainly an idea – write up a formal report of your findings and if I think it has serious merit, I'll take it to General Hammond."

Jennifer impulsively threw her arms around her friend. "Thanks, Janet."

The doctor eyed her humorously. "Just try not to let him get under your skin so easily."

In an unconscious echo of Aris' earlier words, Jennifer sighed. "Right."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
_ "Chevron five encoded…"_

Aris tightened the scarf he'd tied around his forehead to conceal his hair and glanced over at Balinsky, who was scribbling something down on a piece of paper. "What've you got?"

The red-haired scientist looked up with a grin. "Bosworth says we'll find a vein of naquidah, and I put the colonel down for half-naked circus performers. Care to make a wager?"

_ "Chevron six encoded…"_

"Jaffa outpost and a naquidah mine. You pick ruins again?"

Balinsky shrugged. "Hey, a guy can hope."

_ "Chevron seven locked!" _

He stepped from the gate first with his weapon drawn, scanning the landscape through his visor for any possible threats. Three slurping sounds behind him signaled the arrival of the others, and Aris flipped the visor up. "There's a settlement up ahead, but I didn't get much even with full magnification."

"There still could be ruins around here somewhere."

"Maybe, but where there's a village, there's a circus… Aris, would you care to lead the way?" Dave asked casually.

Aris shook his head. "You just want me out front so I get shot at first."

"Nah, I want you out front so I can zat you whenever I feel like it," his friend responded with a wide smile.

They were almost to the tree line when the chevrons started engaging, and Aris crouched in the tall grass. "Expecting company?" he murmured, glancing over at Dave. He swore under his breath as an entire complement of Jaffa began marching through and inadvertently caught Cameron Balinsky's eye.

"You won," the scientist mouthed, giving him a thumbs-up.

"All right, the MALP's enough of a giveaway as it is," Dave instructed, making a circling gesture with one hand and lowering his palm towards the ground.

"What the hell is that?"

"It means, spread out and find cover," Dave hissed.

"Why didn't you just say so?"

After picking a section of dense foliage, Aris sat on his heels and watched a seemingly unending line of Jaffa come through the Gate. When the wormhole finally shut down, a sizeable group of warriors took up stations around the DHD while the others began trudging towards the village he'd seen earlier. Out of habit he reached for his flask and took a swallow of roshna-laced water, mentally calculating how much of the drug he had left; he'd rationed it before and looked like he'd have to again. As long as none of them were captured, Aris figured he could make his supply last at least two more days.

Zat fire to Aris' left made him sigh. He'd heard of the mythical Murphy and the accompanying law from the humans, but apparently this was his chance to witness it firsthand. Things just kept getting better and better…

  
_tbc…_  
_____________________________________________________

  
[Previous](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/316167.html) Next


	4. </strong> How To Fail At Hiding Without Really Trying

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [sg13](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/sg13), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** How To Fail At Hiding Without Really Trying  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-13  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set after the Season 3 episode: _Deadman Switch_

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 4:** How To Fail At Hiding Without Really Trying**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

______

  
Aris carefully stretched a leg through the bars to nudge Dave with the toe of his boot. "Rise and shine."

His friend groaned and lifted his head from the floor to gaze at him through bleary eyes. "Whuh."

"Did you get a head count out there, by any chance?"

"No, I think I was too busy being _knocked unconscious_." Dave sat up and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I hate it when they use zats."

"Oh, zat'nik'tels aren't so bad…"

"That's because you're immune."

"Someone's touchy today." He glanced over his shoulder to see that Balinsky and Bosworth were starting to wake up as well. "Looks like Kalikamata's the one holding us, which may or may not be a good thing."

Dave stretched cautiously, rubbing the back of his neck. "What do you mean, 'may or may not be a good thing'? Hey Balinsky, you hearin' this? We're being held captive by a greek olive."

"_Kalika_mata, Colonel Dixon, not _Kala_mata," the scientist groaned. "You must've been hanging around Colonel O'Neill lately."

"Same difference. And if you wouldn't mind _answering my question_, Aris…?"

Aris made himself comfortable on the floor of his cell, tucking his arms behind his head. "Let's just say that Kali and I go way back. If she decides to remember what I did for her, she might just let us go. If not, well…" he sat up slightly and spread his hands to indicate his helplessness in the matter.

Dave looked less than impressed. "Great. How is it that you got captured along with us, again?"

"Figured it was a good idea to just play dead. It gave me an opportunity to look around a little bit… and make three Jaffa carry me," he grinned.

"So what do you know about…whatsherbucket?"

"She plotted with Bastet to kill Sobek after luring him into a false sense of security concerning a treaty. Take a wild guess as to who delivered the terms of that treaty to Sobek and brought him to what turned out to be his execution."

"Ed McMahon?"

Aris frowned thoughtfully. "That's the man with the big piece of paper, isn't it?"

Bosworth snorted. "Yup."

"Then no. It was actually me."

"Can't you guys be serious for once in your lives?" Balinsky complained.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _

The supply of roshna that Aris had taken with him had long since run out, and Jennifer wasn't sure what to do – theoretically there was nothing she _could_ do since SG-13 hadn't even reported back and no one had made contact with Colonel Dixon's team for more than two days. It was possible that Aris had taken along more roshna than what she'd given him; it certainly wasn't a secret that he didn't like having to requisition it, but since he had no 'official' status here on Earth there wasn't much he could do about it. General Hammond hadn't even cleared him to go beyond the base yet.

She suppressed a sigh, checking on the dressing wrapped around Siler's burned hand. "You're good to go, Dan," Jennifer said. "Just don't grab any more wires that have sparks coming out of them."

"It'll be tough, but I'll try," the other sergeant said with a grin. "Thanks, Jennifer."

He left and she busied herself with straightening up the infirmary for the seventh time, trying not to think about where a certain member of SG-13 was. Jennifer frowned at the spotless white sheets she'd just put on all of the cots. _This is stupid. He's a full grown…alien…and you shouldn't care what happens to him one way or another. Aris Boch is only here to help himself, and you know it_, she lectured herself sternly. _No sense in getting attached_. Besides, what _would_ her mother say?

It was three more days before the Incoming Wormhole klaxon actually had something to do with the missing SG team. She smiled at Janet in thanks when the other woman motioned for her to accompany them to the briefing room, and quickly settled into a chair as General Hammond began.  
"At 0800 hours, we received a transmission from SG-13 requesting assistance during a routinely scheduled contact time – the message was apparently recorded some time earlier and set to repeat every half hour, which seems to be why we didn't pick it up when we dialed the planet the last time. From what we were told, Colonel Dixon's team was ambushed by the Jaffa of the System Lord Kalikamata. They managed to escape from the compound, but they came under heavy fire while trying to make their way to the Gate."

Janet leaned forward. "With your permission, Sir, I'd like to suggest that Sergeant Taylor be assigned to this particular mission. She needs the field experience and, quite frankly, has a greater understanding of Aris Boch's physiology due to her research. "

The general frowned slightly. "I'll take that under advisement, Doctor. Sergeant Siler will prep a UAV and SG-7 will be standing by. Dismissed."

"What was that?" Jennifer whispered as soon as they were out of earshot. "Doctor Frasier, I can't-"

The other woman held up a restraining hand. "I'm not putting you forward out of the goodness of my heart, Sergeant. What I told General Hammond was the truth – now, I want you to get a field kit ready and be in the Gate Room in an hour."

"Yes, ma'am," Jennifer said automatically.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Cameron Balinsky swallowed nervously and glanced over his shoulder again, wincing as the movement jarred his wounded leg. "I think I heard something, Dave. Are you sure we weren't followed-"

"You keep giving away our position by talking, that question's gonna get answered real quick," the colonel hissed back. "Just lie back and take it easy."

"Sorry." The scientist glanced over to where Jake Bosworth could barely be seen covered with branches as he kept a lookout on the eastern side of the slope, then to Aris who was clumsily retying the tourniquet around his right arm. "D'you think someone's coming?"

The big Hunter looked up from his task. "Oh, I'm sure some of Kali's Jaffa will be along shortly to keep us company." He reached for the ends of the cloth and swore as his hand started shaking too badly to get a grip on it. "I knew associating with humans would only lead to trouble." Aris leaned his head back against the tree trunk he was propped up against, closing his eyes briefly.

Dave moved across to help, knotting the tourniquet tightly. "We need to get closer to the Gate. Bosworth and I will head across, see if we can get close enough to dial home… you two hold your position as long as you can."

Aris opened an eye. "I'm not dead yet, Dixon."

"_Yet_ being the operative word. Balinsky, make sure he doesn't pass out."

Cameron nodded. "You got it, Sir." He chose to ignore Aris' snort and made a show of lifting his P90. "I'll make sure he stays out of trouble."

"You'll be in trouble if you don't put that thing down," Dave scolded. "Don't break radio silence unless it's absolutely necessary."

He moved off and Cameron looked back over at Aris. "You don't look so good."

"I've been worse."

"Listen, about what happened back there-"

"Forget about it," Aris interrupted wearily. "Just keep watch for any Jaffa patrols." He slumped back against the tree, knuckles whitening as he tightened a fist against more spasms.

Cameron nodded jerkily. "S-sure." He watched as the big alien closed his eyes once more, then twisted his head around to peer through the foliage that they'd pulled over to help conceal their hiding place. His leg throbbed with pain, and he tried not to think about how lucky he was just to come away with such a wound – the staff weapon had originally been aimed at his face when Aris had stepped in front of him and knocked it lower just as the Jaffa fired it, taking the brunt of the blast just below his shoulder. "You know, you didn't have to-"

"If you don't stop talking, I'll have to shoot you."

"Right. Sorry." Aris was still watching him expectantly, so he went ahead and asked. "Does this mean we're friends?"

Aris coughed up a laugh. "You humans."

He closed his eyes again, and Cameron looked at him worriedly. He didn't know that much about roshna but it didn't take a genius to figure out that if they didn't get more of it soon, the other man was going to die. Aris had been growing steadily weaker and even now could barely keep his eyes open, shaking so badly that Cameron could hear his armor creaking.

"We _are_ friends, though, right?" he insisted. He got no response, and set down the P90 to crawl over carefully. "Wake up; I don't actually know how to fire that gun…!" The telltale crackle of a staff weapon opening a few inches from the back of his neck made his eyes widen. "Uh oh."

  
_tbc…_  
________________________________________________


	5. </strong> Triage and Error

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [dave/sarge](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/dave/sarge), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [janet frasier](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/janet%20frasier), [sarge](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/sarge), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Triage and Error  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-13  
**Rating:** PG-13 for language and a gratuitious ST:TOS reference  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set after the Season 3 episode: _Deadman Switch_

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 5:** Triage and Error**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

_______________________________________

  
Jennifer shook her head in dismay as Colonel Dixon leaned forward and thumbed the switch on the staff weapon, nearly making Balinsky jump out of his skin. "Uh oh."

"_Uh oh_ is right, you idiot," Dixon seethed. "If I'd really been a Jaffa, you'd both be dead by now!"

The red headed scientist slewed around, wide-eyed with disbelief. "_Dave? _ What the hell!"

The two men promptly began arguing but she'd already seen Aris, unconscious and slumped against the trunk of a nearby tree. "Sir, if you could help Dr. Balinsky with his leg…"

Dave broke off his harangue long enough to accept the small first aid pack Jennifer handed to him, and she moved over to lift one of Aris' eyelids. His pupils didn't dilate when she turned on her penlight. Her efforts to pull him down to a prone position failed since he seemed to weigh the proverbial ten tons, so she simply circled around to his right side and pushed him to the left, bracing herself against another tree and shoving beneath his injured arm.

Checking his vital signs was slightly hampered by the sheer amount of metal covering his body, but she didn't want to waste time trying to figure out how to remove it. His pulse was slow, almost as if he were in a coma, but so irregular that she quickly decided that getting roshna into his bloodstream would have to be accomplished by injection instead of trying to make him drink it. Circling back around, Jennifer grunted with the effort of lifting his torso enough to slide her legs beneath him – when he finally woke up, she'd have a few words with him about how _heavy_ he was. The Stargate had to weigh less than he did!

She had no idea what amount of pure roshna was safe, and tore the tip off a packet of the blue liquid with shaking hands. Jennifer filled the syringe half full of it, emptying the rest into the canteen of water she'd brought along. Maneuvering into a position where he was essentially lying in her arms was a problem because of the thick trinium backplate of his armor, but fortunately Dave saw what she was trying to do and quickly moved to help her. "God _damn_, the bastard's heavy," the colonel grunted.

"Help me cut the rest of this off," Jennifer ordered, gesturing to Aris' partially ruined sleeve and tapping the syringe to make sure there were no bubbles.

"He'll be pissed," Dave whistled even as he slit the fabric enough for her to find a vein.

She flicked her nail against the hollow of his elbow and slid the needle in. "As long as he's alive, I really don't care how angry he gets, Sir." Jennifer emptied the syringe and removed the needle, automatically pressing her thumb against the bead of yellow blood that welled up from the tiny wound. _Of course, he's losing so much blood from getting hit with a staff blast that I don't even know why I'm bothering with this_. She bit her lip, hoping she'd done the right thing – if this didn't work, she'd just poisoned him and finished what his withdrawal had started.

Colonel Dixon leaned over to peer into his friend's face. "When can we move him? Much as I adore this wonderful planet, we need to get the hell outta here."

Jennifer shook her head. "I'm sorry, Colonel, but I'm not even sure this is going to work. If I just can get him stabilized, we can take him back to the SGC."

He walked back to check on Balinsky, and she checked Aris' pulse once more. It seemed to be getting stronger, but she left her fingers pressed against his neck so she would be able to tell if there were any sudden changes. The grey tinge to his skin had her worried, and Jennifer unthinkingly brought her other hand up to trace the thick ridge of scar tissue that curved up his jaw before running her fingertips over the scar bisecting his left eyebrow. She snatched her hand back as soon as she realized what she was doing, but a guilty look over at Colonel Dixon showed that he hadn't been watching.

His hair wasn't looking as lively as usual, either, and she reached out to slide her fingers through the thatch of short, copper-colored hair in an attempt to comb it into some semblance of order. She suppressed a smile at the thought of Aris having hair the color of pennies – 'Honest Abe' would have been positively scandalized at any sort of comparison. Jennifer's bladder abruptly reminded her that it didn't especially enjoy have a thousand pounds of Bounty Hunter sprawled atop it. "I don't know exactly how much you eat, but if you wake up I'm putting you on a diet," she grunted as she shifted her grip on the big alien. "That's just not _normal_."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

As he gradually regained consciousness and became aware of the fact that he was laying helplessly in the arms of a young human female, Aris Boch was faced with a difficult choice – he could either attempt to salvage his pride by immediately insisting he was fine, or he could pretend he was still too weak to sit up on his own. Since the latter meant keeping his face pressed against Sergeant Taylor's breasts, he figured he could stand the blow to his ego. Manliness was a bit overrated, after all, and she smelled good.

Keeping still was proving to be difficult since his arm hurt like _mrdei_, but Aris knew that if he showed any sign of wakefulness she'd dump him on the forest floor in ten seconds flat. Jennifer's fingers stroked the side of his neck slowly, then he fought to keep from twitching in surprise when he felt her light touch tracing the scars on his face. Most females didn't even like to look at them, let alone touch them. Her fingers combed through his hair next and Aris nearly opened his eyes when the caresses ended abruptly but she slowly resumed them, her short nails scraping against his scalp gently and sending shivers of pleasure through his body. There was no harm in staying here and being coddled like an infant for a _few_ more minutes, Aris decided sleepily.

She shifted under him, complaining about his weight and he used the distraction to squint over at Dave, who was looking directly at him. His friend opened his mouth to speak, but Aris opened his eyes fully to glare at him before shutting them again as Jennifer started to look down at him. "Unbelievable," he heard Dave snort.

"Sir?" Jennifer questioned.

"Nothing, Sergeant. I'm taking Balinsky here to the Gate and when I get back, we're moving his big ass whether you like it or not."

The sounds of the two men's departure faded, and Aris felt Jennifer's fingers tracing along his eyebrows, down his nose and over his lips, then around to his ear where she gripped the cartilage firmly between thumb and forefinger. "If you're finished pretending you're still unconscious, I think it's time we left."

Aris breathed deeply of her scent a final time before opening his eyes. "You can't blame me for trying." He sat up, giving her his best smile – unfortunately all _that_ accomplished was a deepening of the glare she was aiming at him. A wave of dizziness hit when he attempted to stand, and he waved off her sudden look of concern when he fell back against the tree. "I just needed to tighten this," he lied, reaching for the armor covering the tops of his boots.

"Right," Jennifer said skeptically, passing him the canteen. "Drink this; it should make you feel better." He took a drink from it as she explained what she'd done to bring him out of what she called the beginnings of a coma. "We'll have to keep you in the infirmary for observation – I can't believe that having pure roshna introduced into your bloodstream can be good for you. Drink the rest of that before you try to stand up again," she lectured sternly, turning her attention to his wounded arm.

"So when you say, 'observation'…"

"You're not getting another cuddle out of me, and that's final."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
"You boys better have saved a spot for me," Sarge cried as she came into the infirmary and saw the rest of SG-13 gathered around the cot Aris was sitting cross-legged on, playing some sort of card game. Waving at Janet who leaned around the door of her office to smile and shake her head, she walked over to admire the bandages around the other alien's arm. "Tough luck, huh?"

"Yeah… it's actually not that bad," Aris replied, handing her a pile of cards. "It gave sweet little Jenny the perfect excuse to finally get me into bed."

Sarge rolled her eyes as the men started nudging each other and grinning like the idiots they all were. "You're such a dirty old man… and the rest of you are pathetic. What're we playing?" She took her cards and hopped up on the bed Dave had wheeled over, leaning over against her husband for a kiss.

"Hey, Rose. It started out a game of poker, but now it's apparently evolved into a game called 'Oh Hell' – the rules seem to keep changing every five minutes, so your guess is as good as mine," Dave said with a grin.

Bosworth looked up from his cards. "It's just like Fizzbin – you know, from Star Trek?" He threw down the ten of clubs. "Incidentally, I win."

"What!"

"Hey, what's wrong with liking science fiction?"

Balinsky scowled. "I was _referring_ to your claim of winning."

"It's Tuesday, and on Tuesday the ten of clubs-"

Aris peered suspiciously at the cards scattered on the edge of his cot. "You made that up just now."

"No, it's Fizzbin and the rules _clearly state_…"

In the predictable uproar Sarge shared a smile with Jennifer, who had arrived unnoticed. "No gambling allowed in the infirmary," the dark-haired woman asserted, reaching past Dave to confiscate the cards. "Sorry, Sir." Turning her attention to Aris, she set her hands on her hips and frowned. "And didn't I tell you to stop taking that IV out of your arm? It's there for a reason."

"We weren't gambling," Bosworth protested. "We were just-"

"If you want to visit with him, that's fine, but I'm afraid you'll have to do so a lot more quietly. He needs his rest," Jennifer said disapprovingly. "Of course, since you're all here I can call Doctor Frasier out here and we can get started on your physicals."

SG-13 began to disperse rather rapidly, with excuses ranging from needing to walk a non-existent dog to hearing their mothers calling. Sarge laughed at the sight of the Hunter being ordered around by the smaller woman; the two of them were trying so hard not to like each other, it was actually rather entertaining to watch. "Don't you have anything important to do, like giving birth to twins or something?" Aris asked rudely.

"Oh, now, don't be cranky," she chided. "It's not my fault you have to lie there in those cute little blue pajamas." Seeing Jennifer hide a smile as she walked off to find more bandages, Sarge leaned forward to needle the big man some more. "So Dave tells me you copped a feel when you were playing 'damsel in distress' offworld."

Aris widened his eyes innocently. "Whyever would you believe such a thing?"

"He's my husband," Sarge reminded him.

"Since when has _that_ ever meant anthing?"

"Are you going to ask her on a date, or will I have to do it for you?"

"A _date? _ Don't be more absurd than usual," Aris scoffed, reaching for the glass of blue-tinted water at his bedside. "General Hammond came by earlier to inform me that the others have personal leave, but I'm staying right here as a gunny-" He stopped to think. "No, wait, _guinea_ pig was the word he used."

Sarge laughed. "No, I'm pretty sure he meant you were a plain old _pig_, no guineas about it."

He regarded her over the rim of his glass. "I don't know why anyone would actually want to be married to you."

Jennifer came back to check the IV, pulling up a chair to begin changing the bandages on the big Ilempiri's arm. "You guys remind me of my cousins – they're always fighting about something, even when there's absolutely nothing to fight about…finish your water please, Aris." She turned to Sarge, ignoring Aris' grumbles about small humans pushing him around. "Are you doing anything special while you're on leave, Rose?"

"We'll probably take the kids and go up to Avon for the weekend, barring a planetary emergency," Sarge replied. "In fact, I should probably schedule checkups for all four of them." She glanced over at Aris in time to catch the odd expression on his face an instant before he looked away. If she didn't know better, she would have thought he actually looked jealous.

  


  
_tbc…_

___________________________________________


	6. </strong> But Seriously

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** But Seriously  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set after the Season 3 episode: _Deadman Switch_. Angst alert; someone's being a Drama King!

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 6:** But Seriously**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

_____

  
It wasn't exactly the sort of thing she'd normally _choose_ to do over the weekend, but Jennifer supposed that at least she wasn't by herself. Besides, it wasn't as if she'd had plans for anything more important than sitting on the couch watching television. She glanced up from the computer to see Aris sprawled across his cot, apparently absorbed in the pages of a magazine, and she smiled slightly – after four days spent almost entirely in his company, she was finally beginning to feel at ease with him. "What're you reading?"

Aris lifted his eyes from the magazine. "Better Homes and Gardens."

"You're kidding."

"I never kid about this sort of thing," he replied calmly, then surprised her by sitting up and narrowing his eyes at her. "If you weren't here right now, what would you be doing?"

Jennifer smiled wryly at the idea that he'd known exactly what she'd been thinking about. "Actually, I'd probably be halfway through a carton of Häagen-Dasz right about now."

Aris frowned thoughtfully. "Häagen-Dasz."

"It's a brand of ice cream."

"Ah."

It was her turn to frown. "You've been on this planet for nearly two months now, and you haven't had ice cream?" He shrugged and she opened her mouth to promise that she'd bring him some when the door of the infirmary swung open and Sarge came in with her children in tow. "Rose! Hey, and look who's with you!" Jennifer smiled down at Charlie and Jimmy Dixon, extending her hand for obligatory high-fives. "You guys keeping yourselves into trouble?"

"Yeah," Charlie piped. "We're going to visit Grandpa and Grandma, though, so that means we have to behave."

Jimmy, meanwhile, had gone straight over to where Aris was sitting. "Who're you?" he asked curiously.

Aris put aside his reading material to look down at the young boy seriously. "A bounty hunter."

Jimmy promptly clambered atop the cot next to the big man. "Cool! Do you shoot people every day?" Without waiting for an answer, he swung around. "Mommy, he's just like Boba Fett from that movie Uncle Teal'c let us watch!"

"Boba Fett? Neat," Charlie cried, running over to join his brother in pestering a bemused Aris.

Sarge shook her head, laughing. "If that doesn't frighten him away, I don't know what will." She lifted little Sylvie out of the carrier and onto a nearby cot. "And speaking of being frightened away…"

Jennifer scowled at her friend, placing the stethoscope on the tiny girl's chest. "Don't even start."

"But just _look_ at him," Sarge teased. "Big, strong, kinda cute if you don't mind all those scars… give him five minutes and I'll bet he could have you upside down and halfway to-"

"I'm not listening to this," Jennifer protested, feeling her cheeks heating up. "We're not _discussing_ this. _Ever_."

"If you say so," Sarge smirked. "But don't you ever wonder what he looks like naked?"

"_No_, I don't."

"Oh, that's right; you can look whenever you _want_, because-"

"_Rose! _"

"Okay, okay, I'll stop," the other woman grinned. "I certainly wouldn't pass up the chance for some sweet lovin' if I was you, but that's your business and none of mine."

_Sweet lovin'? Dear Lord_. "Exactly." Jennifer finished examining the little girl and looked around for one of the boys – she found them both sitting across from Aris and listening to a story he was telling them. "I've never seen them _that_ quiet before. Boys? I need one of you over here, please," she called.

She wasn't counting on all of them moving over, but Sarge took advantage of the situation and plopped a startled Sylvie into the arms of an equally startled Aris. "Hold her while I run to the mess for a cup of coffee, will you? Need anything while I'm there, Jen?"

Jennifer shook her head as she motioned for Charlie to hop up on the bed. Aris and Sylvie were regarding each other warily, but the big man had her carefully settled into the crook of one arm and was supporting the back of her head with his other hand. The tiny girl blinked up at her unlikely nursemaid, then began to coo contentedly. She'd known Aris Boch was many things, but this took the cake. "I didn't know you were good with children," Jennifer blurted in surprise. "I'd think you wouldn't like them."

Aris looked at her with an unreadable expression on his face, then back down at the child cradled in his arms. "My people regard all new life as precious," he said quietly. "We haven't had any young since the Goa'uld came." Aris passed the now-sleepy Sylvie Dixon back to her mother when Sarge reappeared with her coffee, and excused himself on the grounds that he needed a shower. Jennifer watched him go with a thoughtful look on her face.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
He hadn't even known where he was headed, but when Aris found himself in front of the locker he'd been issued as a member of SG-13, he shook his head ruefully and reached inside. Some people sought comfort from eating, but he did so by checking his weapons and cleaning his armor. Aris smoothed a palm across the modified TER gun, exhaling slowly – it was stupid, but he hadn't been able to fully relax ever since being ordered to change into the blue 'scrubs' Janet had given him.

_Ordered_. Here he was living on a world not his own and actually taking orders from a people who, he was becoming increasingly certain, didn't have much concern for actually helping his race liberate themselves from the Goa'uld. Two months in, and he was still no closer to freeing his people than when he'd first met David Dixon's team. Granted, much of it was his own fault for not insisting upon traveling to his home world… Aris sighed and lifted one of the shoulder-guards he'd taken from the body of the first Jaffa he'd ever killed, rubbing his thumb over it idly. He'd spent much of his life hating the Goa'uld for what they'd done, all the while serving them out of equal parts fear and need. He was ashamed for all he'd done in the seventy-odd years since he'd sold his soul to keep his sister safe from harm, and even more so for not doing more to help his people now that he finally had a real opportunity to do so.

Aris began to clean his weapons methodically, glancing over his shoulder to see if the young sergeant had followed him. _And that's yet another problem_, he thought to himself. The more time he spent with Jennifer Taylor, the more time he _wanted_ to spend with her. His imagination had shown him a hundred different ways to get into her bed as well as offering some rather appalling suggestions once he was there, but there was no use in trying to get close to her. He was over sixty years her senior, after all, and they weren't even the same species.

Not that it would matter in the slightest if they were, since he'd just opened his mouth and practically admitted that he was sterile. It was ironic that the one person he would have chosen for a mate was the woman currently trying to manufacture more of the substance that had been used to sterilize the entire population of his home planet, not to mention that many people of Earth cared so little for their young that humans either routinely abused their children or voluntarily gave them up because they were an inconvenience. Pushing his dark thoughts back in the recesses of his mind where he tried his best to keep them, Aris sighed and stood, knowing his extended absence would cause Jennifer to worry.

Thankfully Sarge and her children were gone by the time he walked back in the infirmary, and Jennifer didn't question him except to ask if he needed more roshna. Aris smiled wryly as he lifted the glass of drugged water. "Here's to you, little Jenny."

She seemed to realize he didn't feel like keeping her company and that the Dixons had everything to do with it, and gave him the space he'd abruptly felt the need for. Aris could tell that she felt hurt, but the shame he felt at his earlier admission stopped him from assuring her that he hadn't meant to offend. It was easy enough to convince Jennifer that he wanted to return to the quarters he'd been assigned since she was occupied with a few members of SG-5, and as soon as he reached the small room he slept in, he changed into the clothing he'd traded Cameron Balinsky for. A few minutes later and Aris was on his way to the nearest access door leading to the surface.

Wedging the hatch open was easily accomplished by inserting a spare knife blade under the cement lid, and pulling a few branches over the opening effectively concealed it from any soldiers that might patrol the area. Aris carefully obliterated his tracks as he picked his way towards a stand of trees farther up the mountain; he gradually ceased to worry about concealing his trail as he climbed. After days of enforced idleness, the exertion burned the roshna from his system even faster than normal, but Aris kept going until his objective – a stone outcropping – was finally reached. Once there, the big man reluctantly drank from the small bottle of water he'd crammed into one of the side pockets of the tan pants he wore, and settled on the ground with the mountain at his back.

From his vantage point he could see various cars and military vehicles approaching the mountain's checkpoint, and Aris decided that his next outing would be down to Colorado Springs. He sat staring at the sky, thinking of Ilempir and his sister, until he became aware of another presence near him. Without looking over, Aris shifted to one side. "There's room if you'd like to sit."

Jennifer sighed as she sat down next to him. "Was I really making that much noise?"

"Not exactly, but you might want to reconsider swearing under your breath the next time you're trying to sneak up on someone."

She was silent for a few seconds. "You're not supposed to be up here," she said finally.

He glanced over at her. "I'm not supposed to do a lot of things, but I make a habit of doing them anyway." Looking down at his boots, Aris picked up a handful of pine needles and sifted them through his fingers. _This is what is known as slightly awkward_. "Why'd you follow me?"

"You're still under observation, remember?" Jennifer asked uncomfortably.

"Ah."

"…and I wanted to apologize for earlier," she said quietly, making him twist around in surprise. "I shouldn't have said anything about, you know, you and kids. I didn't mean to-"

Aris reached out and touched his fingertips to her lips in silent apology, making her eyes go round with surprise. "It wasn't anything you said." Jennifer exhaled slowly, the puff of air cooling his skin and lifting the hair on the back of his neck.

Her brown eyes were liquid with sympathy he didn't particularly want as he dropped his hand to his side. "Do you…do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

His lips parted, the urge to confide in _someone_ nearly making him speak of what he'd never told another living soul. Aris turned his head away to look back at the treeline. _Here's to you. _ "No."

Jennifer's small hand stole into his. "Okay."

  
_tbc…_  
___________________________________________________


	7. </strong> And One (More) For The Road

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** And One (More) For The Road  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-13, SG-1  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set after the Season 3 episode: _Deadman Switch_.

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 7:** And One (More) For The Road**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

________

  
General George Hammond looked up from the reports spread across his desk at the sound of a knock on the door. Opening his mouth to ask Walter for the revised schedule, he closed it when he saw that Aris Boch was leaning on the door frame. "Mister Boch – what can I do for you, son?"

The bounty hunter tilted his head slightly. "You _do_ remember that I'm older than you?"

"Force of habit," Hammond smiled. "Take a seat."

Aris settled into a chair slowly, all traces of humor banished from his expression. "I need to return to my home world, General."

Hammond leaned forward. "May I ask why?"

"Let me put it this way – what would you do if Earth was still being subjugated by the Goa'uld?" Aris countered. "Wouldn't you want to do anything you could to help them, rather than standing to the side and not even knowing what is happening to your people?"

The general frowned, steepling his fingers and looking across the desk at the Ilempiri Hunter. "Colonel Dixon tells me you're a valued member of SG-13, something the others happen to agree with. On the occasions that SG-13 has worked with other teams, your contributions were noted."

The familiar spark of mischief was back in the other man's eyes. "Even by Colonel O'Neill?"

Hammond laughed. "Even by Colonel O'Neill, though that's strictly off the record."

It took nearly an hour and a half of negotiating, but by the time Aris Boch left his office, Hammond had agreed to send him back to his home planet with a crate of Tok'ra manufactured roshna on the condition that SG's 1 and 13 accompanied him. Hammond rubbed his chin thoughtfully, still unwilling to lose an asset as valuable as Aris Boch had turned out to be – the man drove a hard bargain, and his seemingly inborn skills at adapting technology to various uses had a great deal of potential if used to the SGC's advantage. If there were something Aris could only find on Earth, it was entirely possible that he could be persuaded to stay… Hammond's eyes fell upon the report he'd been reading, and he smiled before picking up the phone on his desk. Yes, that might do it.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

"So there's nothing I can do to persuade you to stay?" Dave asked yet again. Rose was fond of telling him that his persistence was enough to drive a nun to drink, but it usually got him whatever he'd been trying for. Unfortunately, Aris seemed immune to outside annoyance. _Probably because he prefers to make his own_, Dave thought disappointedly.

"No." His friend finished tightening his armor and closed his locker door for the last time as he looked over at Dave. "I already agreed to let both you _and_ SG-1 go with me, which is seven more people than I'd planned on in the first place."

Dave coughed to hide a smile. "Well, it's more like _eight_ more people. Hammond would rather the teams be evenly divided, even if there's no rule that says a Gate team has to have four people."

The other man's eyes started to narrow. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're smiling. I don't trust you when you smile for no reason," Aris said flatly.

Dave shook his head. "My overly suspicious bounty-hunting alien friend, you're being….overly suspicious." He ignored Balinsky's snort at this bit of eloquence. "I'm just thinking of how much your absence will impact the operations of the SGC. Remember that time when we swapped the tape during SG-1's briefing?"

Aris grinned back at him. "I'm told that Teal'c stayed there to watch the rest of it after the others came to find us."

"What _did_ you and Cameron end up swapping their news footage for?" he asked curiously. "All I know is that Sam wouldn't speak to me for days afterward."

"It was the one with a strange little man exercising."

"Sweatin' to the Oldies," Balinsky supplied, and they all collapsed into laughter when Jack O'Neill chose that exact moment to enter the locker room, followed by Teal'c and Daniel Jackson.

Jack looked around at them, then back at his teammates. "Something funny?"

"Oh, we were just talking about you," Aris said.

"_Really_."

Dave snickered. "Yeah, we were wondering who your fourth's gonna be – is Sam sick, or are you going to get Richard Simmons in here to pick up the slack?"

"You know, Dave? I liked you a lot better before you became friends with this... _this_," Jack sighed.

Dave laughed and bent to tie his bootlaces as Jack sat down beside him to talk. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Daniel drawing Aris aside to ask him something while Teal'c looked on impassively and Balinsky drifted off to double-check that Dr. Lee was going to water his plants while he was gone. When they were all gathering in the Gate Room he listened idly to the assorted Ilempiri greetings Aris was teaching Daniel, keeping an eye on the door.

It slid open and the remaining two members of SG-13 walked in, debating the best way to keep long hair under a helmet. Aris broke off his explanation that the word _tua'ath_ had to come before _uhle_ or else it was considered a grave insult, and Dave didn't bother to hide his grin as his friend slowly turned to inspect the new arrivals. Sarge smiled over at him slyly. "Look who I found to make our fourth."

The Ilempiri's eyes bored into Jennifer, making her face redden even as she lifted her chin stubbornly and refused to look away. "I wonder whose idea this was." Dave's smile widened as he saw the muscles in Aris' jaw tightening and relaxing, knowing the man was grinding his teeth in annoyance.

"The more, the merrier?" Jack offered innocently.

The last chevron locked and the Gate opened as Aris turned to look up at the Control Room window, shaking an admonitory finger at Hammond. The general actually did a good job of pretending not to know what was going on. Turning back to the Gate and giving Sergeant Taylor another appraising look, Aris sighed. "Let's go."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jennifer took a deep, steadying breath when Aris' eyes finally left her. Sarge nudged her and grinned as the big man started up the ramp. "If he gets too uppity, we can always zat him in the ass."

"I heard that," Aris said mildly.

They stepped through the Gate, emerging in the midst of what looked like an overgrown wheat field; the majority of weeds were even taller than she was. "I could give you the name of a really great landscaping company," Colonel O'Neill sniped. "They mow your lawn, trim your trees; the works."

"So this is your planet?" Daniel asked, slapping a hand over his face as a sneeze nearly knocked him off balance.

Aris didn't even spare a glance back to see if they were still following, his broad shoulders rigid with tension. "Now, Doctor Jackson, do you _really_ think that I'd lead you directly to a planet under Goa'uld control? Keep up." He led them to the edge of the field, inexplicably stopping to kneel and slide a hand into the tall grass. "Dave."

Colonel Dixon lifted his chin in acknowledgement. "Gotcha. Sarge, Balinsky, Taylor – you're with me."

Jennifer exchanged puzzled glances with Cameron Balinsky as they followed Sarge and formed a loose semi-circle around Dave. "What-" the familiar whining start-up of transport rings made her bite back the rest of her question before she could make an even bigger fool of herself, and they were transferred to what looked like the cargo hold of an al'kesh. Several crates lined the walls, and Dave immediately went to peer inside a few as they stepped off the platform to allow the others to Ring up.

Sam turned to Aris curiously as the man walked over to the ring control pad and pressed a few symbols. "How did you manage to put a cloaking device on the ring platform down on the surface?"

"Takes talent."

O'Neill snorted at this, for some reason.

"You weren't thinking of starting a war without us, were you, buddy?" Dave asked next, lifting a block of naquidah from one of the crates.

Aris gave the other man an amused look. "Put that back, get your gear, and let's go. I've got a trade to make."

She'd never felt more superfluous in her life, standing there and watching the others move around the hold as if they did this every day – well, for all she knew they did this sort of thing at least once a week. Jennifer bit the inside of her cheek as she looked over at Aris, who was checking the locks on the rest of his cargo. She knew why she was here, and didn't like it one bit…and he seemed to share her sentiments on that particular front, which was about ten miles beyond awkward. He'd obviously told her more than he'd meant to last week, and had immediately retreated behind a wall of courteous disinterest.

He turned to catch her watching him and seemed about to say something, but turned to Colonel O'Neill instead. Sarge touched her arm lightly and motioned her into the hall. "What's going on with you two? Ever since I brought the kids in for their check-up, he's been acting weird."

Jennifer shook her head. "I'm not really sure what's going on. Well, I have an idea, but I can't say."

"Just who d'you think you're talking to?" Sarge joked, nudging her. "You can't just leave me hanging like this."

"I'm sorry, Rose. I'm sure you wouldn't want to invade his privacy," she tried again.

"What? Yes, I do!"

Jennifer laughed and shook her head again as the others trooped past, and they followed them onto the…was it called a bridge? She knew that on motherships it was called a pel'tak, but wasn't sure if al'kesh were the same. Watching as Aris slid into the pilot's seat and placed his hands on the controls, she tried not to see the measuring gazes that each member of SG-1 seemed to be aiming at her. She'd catch up with him later, and they'd have a little talk.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Living on Earth must have dulled his wits, if _this_ was what resulted in one of his trades, Aris thought sourly. After he'd engaged the hyperdrive engines, he'd wasted nearly an hour running unnecessary system checks until even Teal'c was giving him reproving glances. Evading O'Neill's questions and Dr. Jackson's insistence upon learning the Ilempiri language, he made his way to his sleeping chamber; with any luck, the famed Murphy's Law didn't operate in hyperspace conduits.

He flattened himself against the wall suddenly as he heard footsteps, and cautiously peered around the corner to see Cameron and Sarge walking past. Exhaling in relief, Aris pushed off the wall and glanced around before continuing… and did what humans called a 'double take' as he realized that Jennifer was standing right behind him. So much for his theory about Murphy.

"What _are_ you doing?" the small woman asked.

_Besides making an ass of myself in the corridors of my own ship? _ "Practicing."

"Oh." Jennifer looked down at her feet, scuffing the toe of a boot against the flooring. "Practicing what?"

"Evading Tau'ri who ask too many questions," he shot back, and her brows drew together in a frown.

"Don't be rude, Aris."

"Sorry," he apologized automatically, then scowled in consternation at the impulse. Since when did he start placating others? "I know why you're here, and it won't work."

She just raised an eyebrow, as if she'd been taking lessons from Teal'c. "What won't work?"

It quickly became clear that she wasn't going to help him out on this one, so he decided to go with the ever-ambiguous, "You know what I'm talking about."

Jennifer surprised him by walking forward until the toes of her boots nudged against his. "I'm here because we made a deal, remember? You give us access to samples of your blood and allow study of your physiology, and we – or more specifically, _I_ – do what we can to fabricate a roshna substitute in the hopes that we can find an agent that remedies the roshna's effect upon the Ilempiri population." Reaching up, she placed a small hand on his chest. "I can't hope to understand what the Goa'uld did to your people, let alone just you, but I _do_ want to help, Aris. If don't want to talk about it, that's fine – but don't shut me out completely. You don't have to do this alone."

The heat of her fingers seemed to burn through his armor, and he stepped back as much to avoid her touch as to break eye contact. "_Alone_ is just how I like it."

She eyed him skeptically. "And how long are you going to keep telling yourself that? Because sooner or later, that excuse is going to stop working."

"I think I liked you better when you were too shy to even make eye contact with a statue," Aris observed caustically. He turned to go, and was halted by Jennifer tugging on his arm. "What-" He was wholly unprepared for Jennifer to grab the rim of his shoulder guard and pull him down to her. She placed her other hand on the side of his face and leaned in slowly. Their lips were barely an inch apart when her open palm cracked against the side of his face in coordination with a sweeping kick to his shins, compromising his already tenuous balance and sending him sprawling on the floor hard enough to bruise his tailbone. "What was that for?" he demanded.

Jennifer simply looked down at him and sniffed. "You looked like you needed it." And with that, she tossed her hair over her shoulder before turning to walk away.

A sudden laugh alerted him to the presence of an audience, and Aris looked up to see O'Neill hanging around the corner. "Foreplay, huh? _Nice_."

"Shut up."

  


  
_tbc…_  
________________________________________________

  



	8. </strong> Old Home Week

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Old Home Week  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-13, SG-1  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Set after the Season 3 episode: _Deadman Switch_.

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 8:** Old Home Week**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

___________

He'd planned on springing it on them all at once but with the sudden addition of Jennifer Taylor, Aris decided it would be a better idea to ease them into the situation a little at a time. Despite the obvious advantages it gave him, the prospect of them discovering that his home world's gravity was significantly higher than Earth's was one confrontation he could afford to miss. Besides, if Jennifer had recently come to the conclusion that she could slap him senseless just because she felt he needed it, what would she do to him if she actually had a valid reason for it?

Rubbing the side of his face absently, Aris made his way to the main console and slid his palm beneath the glowing red control square. With the journey lasting nearly eight hours, he set the climate system to increase the gravity in increments of five percent every hour. The initial setting kicked in immediately, pressing his boots down against the deck grating.

"What just happened?" Jackson asked, looking up from the book balanced across his knees.

"Nothing."

The other man pushed his glasses back up and frowned at him suspiciously as Teal'c approached them. "I believe that you are being less than truthful, Aris Boch."

He widened his eyes innocently. "Who, me?"

"Yes, _you_," O'Neill said, stepping through the door followed by Carter. "What did you do this time?"

"I was being thoughtful," Aris pointed out, explaining about Ilempir's increased gravity. "Don't thank me all at once."

The gray-haired colonel smiled. "Oh, I can always send someone to bring Sergeant Taylor in here to thank the other side of your face."

Aris smiled right back. "And I could always change the artificial gravity to match Ilempir right now, instead of using the programmed increases."

The doors slid open yet again to admit Cameron Balinsky, who looked between their smiling faces and clasped his hands together with a grin of his own. "Oh, good – you two are finally starting to get along! Um, what's the deal with the gravity?"

"I'm going to get some rest," Aris sighed. Teal'c inclined his head slightly and he lifted his chin in acknowledgement. "Let me know if anything strange happens."

"Indeed."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
Sarge flopped down on the edge of the pallet Jennifer was stretched out on, rubbing her eyes. "I think we're almost there."

Her friend sighed. "Is this the amount of gravity we'll be dealing with on the surface, or will there be another increase?"

Sarge wanted to shrug, but it took too much effort so she settled for blinking instead. "I think this is it." The ship seemed to lurch suddenly, signaling their drop from hyperspace. "At least, I hope this is it."

She heard Dave's voice calling for her from somewhere out in the corridor, and simply bellowed back to let him know her location. He'd insisted on keeping active during the gravity shifts – he said it would help him adjust – while she opted to flake out on the nearest flat surface. Sarge supposed that he'd been right, but then again _he_ hadn't been the one up the previous night dealing with a full-blown case of imaginary monsters in the closet.

"Hey, there you are," Dave sighed, sagging against the side of the door. "How're you ladies holding up?"

"We're not holding up, David. We're lying down," Sarge said tiredly. "How's everyone else doing?"

"About the same."

She hauled herself into a sitting position just in time to see the Exception to the Rule sauntering past. "Except Aris, of course." A sudden thought made her frown. "If he's used to heavier gravity, then…wouldn't he be stronger than he pretends to be?"

"Well, yes. And a lot faster, too, so his test results…" Jennifer's eyes widened. "Oh, he is _so_ gonna get it."

"You'll have to wait your turn. He said he had no idea who broke into our room on the base and bolted all the furniture to the ceiling," Sarge growled.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
She wasn't sure how anyone could actually get used to gravity like this, even if they'd been born to it. Just watching Aris stride around the cargo hold, checking on the crates of naquidah before sliding them onto the ring platform, was making her tired. Her knees fairly creaked in sympathy when he jumped off the stacked crates and headed over to key in the transport sequence. Jennifer had meant to read him the riot act as soon as she caught up with him, but then she'd seen the look on Aris' face as they entered orbit around his planet.

"You can stay here if you'd like," Aris said suddenly, keeping his eyes fixed on the panel in front of him. "I could adjust the gravity so you're comfortable."

Jennifer shook her head, forgetting he couldn't see it. "I'm going."

"Suit yourself." He pressed the code and stepped onto the platform, the rings rising from the floor to transport him down to Ilempir's surface. When he Ringed back up fifteen minutes later – not that she was counting or anything – Aris had a bundle of clothing tucked beneath his arm. Tossing them to Cameron, who had come to keep her company, Aris began to move the second load of crates onto the ring platform. "Get those passed out. I'll start taking you down in pairs as soon as everyone's changed."

Balinsky frowned. "But why-"

"Because if my DNA isn't in the matter stream, you're not going to like what happens."

"Another one of your upgrades, huh?"

Aris paused in the act of lifting a crate, a humorless smile curving his lips. "Something like that, yes."

Jennifer opened her mouth to protest. "But-"

"You humans say that frequently. You want to know why you could Ring up without me, if I'm supposedly telling the truth about needing to accompany you?" She nodded warily. "If you had cargo you didn't particularly feel like sharing with any thief that came along, wouldn't you take steps to ensure they couldn't leave with it?"

"Aris, that's….monstrous."

"That's _life_," Aris corrected. "And don't you have a wardrobe change to attend to?"

Jennifer scowled up at him. "We'll talk about you skewing my test results later."

"Whatever you say."

When they reached the surface, she was somewhat surprised to find that they were inside what looked to be a system of caves. Colonel O'Neill asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "The Goa'uld know about this place?"

"Give me a little credit, Colonel," Aris said absently, unlatching the shoulder plates of his armor and sliding them off. "The al'kesh is cloaked, and just far enough away from Mon'biru's ha'taks to make sure no one accidentally discovers it."

Daniel took his glasses off to clean them. "Mon'biru…I haven't heard much about him."

Aris swung a black cloak around his shoulders, glancing over at the other man. "There's not much to tell – Sokar practically gave this planet to him when I set up a little….misunderstanding…between Sokar and our dearly departed Goa'uld overlord, Ba'nal. So long as Mon'biru continues to get a relatively good yield from the naquidah mines, he's safe. "

"Back it up a minute. His name was actually _Ba'nal? _ As in, banal?" O'Neill hooted. "Get it, Carter? Banal!"

"That's hilarious, Sir," she said dutifully.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

At Aris Boch's prompting, Teal'c lifted the hood of his robe and draped it to cover the symbol of Apophis inset on his forehead. He arched an eyebrow at O'Neill's grumbles, tolerantly amused by his friend's protests. He had not been favored with a younger brother, but Colonel O'Neill seemed as if he'd been born to fill such a role. "It is wise to conceal the nature of our mission here," Teal'c said calmly.

"It's freezing out there – freezing involves ice, and not being able to see where we're going means sliding on that ice," the colonel complained. "Y'know? Just _once_ I'd like to explore a planet where the natives wore big, floppy hats instead of robes."

"We're trying to blend in, Jack," Daniel Jackson pointed out, "and I really don't think Aris' people go for the whole 'lounging on the beach' look."

They emerged from the cave, and Teal'c gazed out on what looked as if it had once been a splendid city. The damage was extensive, but couldn't hide the fact that the builders of this particular settlement had been advanced past the Tau'ri's stage of development when the false gods came. The Ilempiri Hunter had become increasingly withdrawn the closer they had come to his world, and now wore a look of practiced indifference upon his face as if it were a mask.

The young nurse that General Hammond had included, Sergeant Taylor, was moving closer to the other man, and Teal'c turned his attention back to their main problem. The Jaffa on the ground were many, with Death Gliders flying circuitous patrol routes that ensured that they would have to work hard to avoid detection upon their approach. Mon'Biru's mothership was using a sizable portion of the city ruins as a landing platform, with several al'kesh placed around it in strategic positions. "We must approach through the ruins if we are to remain unseen," he observed.

Aris Boch shook his head. "Too dangerous. Ba'nal had his Jaffa lay mines all throughout the city after a few groups tried to make their way to the southern continent."

"Why would he care? If there was more than one continent, wouldn't there just be Jaffa waiting for the people that escaped?" Rose Dixon asked with a puzzled frown.

"After a Goa'uld occupation, they traditionally resettle the entire population in one place to, um, keep an eye on them," Daniel Jackson explained. "It's fairly typical for them to set traps of that nature to discourage any others from escaping and to assert their authority."

"Now that we've had our history lesson, can we get on with it?" He made a subtle gesture with his fingers and stepped out of the others' hearing range.

Teal'c followed, inclining his head slightly. "What do you propose, Aris Boch?"

The other man rubbed at the scar on his chin as he looked down at the Jaffa patrols. "I'm going to trade all eight of you for someone."

  
_tbc…_  
________________________________________________


	9. </strong> Exchange Rate

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Exchange Rate  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-13, SG-1  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$

_   
****A Fair Trade 9:** Exchange Rate**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

________

  
There was something he wasn't telling them, Jennifer decided when she saw Aris in murmured conference with Teal'c - the two colonels were too busy talking to each other to notice and the others were talking amongst themselves, although Major Carter was looking in their direction and frowning. Of course she could be mistaken since Aris hadn't been acting like himself ever since he'd decided to return home, but somehow she just didn't think so.

Aris glanced over at her, an unreadable expression in his green eyes before he focused his attention on the others. "Make sure your hoods stay up," he admonished. "The last thing I'd need is to have to explain to all those Jaffa why I'm leading a group of Tau'ri right through their playground."

They set off down the hill, picking their way through the scorched trees and deadfalls that had probably once been a lush forest. _There's a lot of 'once been's here_, Jennifer thought to herself sadly, then nearly tripped again. If only she could get used to the gravity! Her entire body felt sluggish, weighed down, and aching. Every step forward took so much effort, she wasn't sure how she could make it without collapsing in exhaustion. Aris would most likely frown on her simply rolling the rest of the way down, so that option was out of the question.

"Keep your heads down," Aris muttered when they finally reached the base of the hill, and she obediently tucked her chin into her chest as a few Jaffa came closer to bark a few questions in their harsh-sounding language. He answered them with a short sentence and they were allowed to pass after another Jaffa came along to speak with Aris. They entered a long, low structure whose columns were pockmarked by staff weapon fire, and she saw several more Jaffa along with the first Ilempiri she'd seen other than Aris.

Jennifer realized right away why the big man had insisted that they keep their heads covered for each of the Ilempiri bore what she'd thought an affectation. On the backs of their heads, each bore the same strip of differently colored hair as Aris… some had the selfsame vee of darker hair upon lighter, but others had stripes in differing patterns that she made a mental note to ask Aris about.

The acrid smell of raw naquidah made her lift a hand to rub at her nose, trying to prevent a sneeze. Jennifer kept her eyes locked on Aris' broad shoulders, feeling as though she might fall at any moment if she didn't keep concentrating on something, then they were in a different, smaller room and Aris was there to slide a hand beneath her elbow to steady her. "Are you well?"

His question was pitched for her ears only, and she would have smiled if it hadn't taken so much effort. "As well as can be expected," she sighed. For the first time since the day she'd followed him out of Cheyenne Mountain, Aris smiled at her and his hand rose to cup her cheek briefly before he turned to check on the others.

"Nice planet you've got here," O'Neill snarked, flopping down on the nearest flat surface.

Aris looked at him silently before he motioned Teal'c closer once more. The two men talked quietly for a few moments, then drew apart. "Let's go," Aris said, lifting a hand to beckon to them.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sokar had absorbed many of Apophis' Jaffa, so Aris hoped that this would make Teal'c's appearance here work to his advantage. Aris shook his head ruefully as he looked at his companions – he never thought he'd see the day when he called a Jaffa 'friend', much less ally himself with the Tau'ri that were striving to overthrow those whom he traded with for roshna. Granted, he hated the Goa'uld for what they'd done to his people but he still found it hard to believe that such powerful enemies could ever be overcome. Yet against all odds, the Tau'ri had done just that to a handful of System Lords thus far. He chewed the inside of his cheek as he looked at the people he had come to admire for their tenacity, uneasy at the thought that he'd now have to betray them after earning their trust.

It was small consolation that Teal'c didn't like this any more than he did, but even he'd agreed that it had to be done and the others couldn't be warned beforehand. Aris led them down one of the side aisles of the temple Sokar had forced his people to build and pushed his hood back when they reached a small contingent of Mon'biru's Jaffa. "Open them," he ordered, jerking his chin towards the huge double doors.

He focused on those doors as the resentful Jaffa began to pull them open – they'd once hung in the council hall in Southern, and still bore the scorch marks that were made when the remaining Elders who had survived the initial aerial assault had been executed against it. After Ba'nal had slaughtered most of the Ilempiri in Sokar's name, he'd had the doors – and the surviving members of Aris' race, less than a fourth of the planet's population after the slaughter finally ended – transported here to the mines of Northern.

Straightening his spine, he walked through the doors and past the Jaffa on the other side who pushed the doors closed behind him. Atop the dais, Mon'biru reclined in a massive high-backed throne carved from a single block of Ilempir naquidah. As he approached, the Goa'uld pulled its fingers from the palm of an attendant slave and leaned forward with flashing eyes. "You dare return after defying your Gods?"

Trust Mon'biru to include itself in the assumption of divinity, Aris thought, but quickly chose his words to be taken as flattery. "I would never betray those I hold higher than myself," he replied carefully. "If my service has been taken into question, I assure you that I stand before you on this day to allay any suspicion. You hold something of great worth to me, and I wish to trade for something of equal if not greater worth to the System Lords."

The Goa'uld's eyes narrowed slightly. "Explain yourself. What have you brought me?"

Aris turned and gestured for the doors to be reopened. "Bring them in."

From the back of the group, Teal'c calmly withdrew a pain rod from the concealment of his robes and thumped it on the scarred marble underfoot to make it spark menacingly. "Forward." The others were incredulous as staff weapons were leveled at them and their hoods jerked down as they were herded to the steps of the dais. "My Lord Mon'biru, I ask that you accept me into your service."

If he'd thought Mon'biru was surprised before, this time the Goa'uld nearly fell out of his stolen throne. "What have you _brought_ me, Boch?"

Turning so he wouldn't have to see Jennifer's wide-eyed shock, he smiled. "I've brought you SG-1 and SG-13, Lord Mon'biru, as well as your new First Prime."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
She should have been expecting something like this, Sarge thought angrily as she was knocked to her knees by a staff weapon. Ever since they'd first met she'd known that Aris was an opportunistic son of a bitch, and here was the ultimate proof – their team had accepted him and thought of him as the slightly annoying big brother they'd never had. Sarge glanced at her husband quickly and she bit back a cry of anger at seeing Dave wipe blood from the corner of his mouth. "David?"

"'m okay," the big man muttered, fingering his split lip carefully.

He looked as furious as she was by what had just happened, if not more, and her anger sharpened as her eyes fell on Teal'c. Sarge would have never thought that he would ever return to his old ways, either. Her friend – _former_ friend – looked back at her impassively while Aris recounted all the ways he'd earned their trust. "…and they actually believed me when I said I wanted to join one of their little SG teams," he laughed, shaking his head. "It was easy enough to convince Teal'c that he was better suited as First Prime here. The humans are weak, and soft."

Mon'biru's eyes narrowed to slits. "He has proven himself to be Shol'va, traitor to his gods. Why would I have reason to accept his flawed allegiance?"

Aris snorted dismissively, leaning against the edge of the dais. "Everyone in Sokar's service knows what happened to Apophis after the Tau'ri sent his corpse back through the chapa'ai. Teal'c merely wishes to serve a more powerful master."

"It is not for Jaffa to decide whom to serve," Mon'biru insisted, giving Aris a pointed glare. "Neither is it for _you_ to speculate on which System Lord has more power, no matter how much freedom of trade I may decide to allow you."

The Ilempiri Hunter inclined his head. "Of course."

"I am pleased with your offering," Mon'biru said lazily, "and for that you may choose a suitable reward."

"My Lord, you know the reward I seek," Aris countered, still smiling.

The Goa'uld's lips twitched. "Ah, but I relinquish your prize I also relinquish what little claim upon you I have, Aris Boch. Choose again."

Aris turned away slightly to hide the look of pure fury in his eyes, and Sarge glanced over at Dave, who'd seen it too. What was going on? The smallest feeling of doubt began to nag at her even as Aris smoothed the anger and hatred from his expression and put back on the façade of carelessness. "Very well," he smiled, as if Mon'biru's denial was now something to admire and laugh at, "If I can't have what you choose to keep from me, I want two of the Tau'ri females."

Mon'biru laughed, actually placing a hand on his chest as if the whole thing were too hilarious for words. "_Two…?_ Boch, you are indeed priceless. Two! What on this world would you do with two of them?"

"I'm sure you have some idea," Aris said, still with that bland smile on his face. "You would still have six of them…"

"You may have one of them," Mon'biru decided. "Choose now before I change my mind."

Aris moved to stand in front of Jennifer, who still seemed frozen in shock. "I'll take this one."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
They were taken from the warmth of the building, and back out into the freezing wind – Teal'c stayed behind with Mon'biru. Cameron huddled in the scant protection of the robe he was wearing, trying to avoid the Goa'uld pain rod being jabbed at them, and tried to keep as close to the Dixons as he could. He still couldn't believe Aris had done something like this to them, and kept trying to think up reasons why the man had done what he had. There had to be a good reason; they were friends, after all. _Or maybe that's just what he wanted me to think_, he thought miserably.

Opening his mouth to ask Colonel Dixon a question, he stumbled and nearly fell as one of the Jaffa 'escorting' them shoved the butt of a staff weapon into the small of his back. "Be silent!"

"Ya know? Every time I meet you guys, you all seem to have the same sense of humor," Colonel O'Neill commented. "Of course, if I had to run around in a metal skirt when it's 10 below outside, I'd be cranky, too-" he grunted as a staff weapon was stabbed into his side viciously. "Okay, okay, I get the message. Silence Is Naquidah, and all that j-_ow! _"

Dave reached out an arm to link through his, and Sarge quickly moved to brace him. "Thanks," he muttered.

"Just keep moving," Sarge whispered back.

Putting one foot in front of the other and trying not to think of where Sergeant Taylor was at the moment, Cameron Balinsky was only too willing to obey. After what seemed like an eon, each of them was shoved into a small room that reeked of staff weapon discharge, naquidah dust, and unwashed bodies. The walls and floor were stained with dirt and traces of an oddly amber-colored substance. He swallowed convulsively as he remembered that Ilempiri had yellow blood. Their guards threw a pile of fabric on the floor and ordered them to place the garments over the tunics Aris had given them – they looked like some sort of smock, Cameron thought as he pulled his over his head.

They were left alone only momentarily before the Jaffa were back with several pairs of thick metal bracelets – they each had one fastened around their left wrist, and by the hum they emitted as soon as they were secured, he'd be willing to bet that these would make any escape almost impossible. One of the smirking Jaffa then proceeded to tell them as much – if they crossed any of the boundaries outside the mines, the bracelet would activate and the resulting explosion would take their arm off up to the shoulder… unless they were foolish enough to be scratching their heads at the same time. "You know? I've seen this movie, and they called it _Running Man_," O'Neill spoke up. "Can't you guys think up something original for a change? Honest- _ouch!_"

Oh, yeah. This was going to be fun.

  


  
_tbc…_  
_______________________________________________

  



	10. Ties That Bind

__________________________________________

 

Jennifer's shock lasted until she saw the others being herded off like cattle. Aris was standing in front of her, watching the Jaffa take her friends away, and Teal'c was being questioned by Mon'biru. The Ilempiri slaves were still flanking the 'throne', as motionless as statues except for the woman who resumed the manicure their arrival had interrupted. She swallowed with difficulty and her eyes darted up to Aris' face – he was still watching the SG teams being taken away with a half-smile on his face, so she took his inattention as a chance to run. Marshaling all her strength, Jennifer slowly bent her knees before pushing off in a wild lunge towards the door.

At least, that was the plan.

She got approximately half a millimeter of distance between herself and Aris when the bounty hunter's hand closed around her upper arm. "Let _go_ of me," she spat angrily, trying to pull away from his grip. "I _trusted_ you!"

Aris just looked down at her coldly before reaching his other hand down to grab a fistful of the material at her waist and tossing her over his shoulder. He strode towards the main entrance with her and Jennifer shrieked curses, pummeling his broad back with her fists. Her captor didn't slow, and she turned her efforts to pawing the thick fabric of his cloak aside so she could sink her nails into his un-armored side – _that_ he took notice of, and brought a hand up to deliver a stinging slap to the backs of her thighs. "Stop that," he snarled, fingers tightening on her hip painfully.

It began to sink in that the man she'd thought she knew was taking her somewhere – somewhere _alone_ – and he was three times her size, not to mention ten times as strong. He'd flirted with her since the moment they'd first met; that was a sign of interest no matter what planet you were on. The Aris she knew wouldn't hurt her, but it'd been made very clear that it'd just been an act. _He could do whatever he wanted to me, and I couldn't stop him_. The backs of her thighs and the side of her hip throbbed and when she tried to shift, Aris moved his hand back over where he'd struck her. At the feel of his palm brushing over her skin, she barely bit back the cry of, "Don't…!"

Aris snatched his hand away as if she'd burned him, and began to walk faster until he'd apparently reached his destination and he was lowering her to the floor. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

He jerked his head back, narrowly avoiding her attempt to claw at his face. "You're sorry? You're _sorry? _" she screamed.

"It's not what you're thinking; what's the matter with you?" he yelled back, catching her wrist as she swung at him again. "If you don't stop trying to take my eye out, I'm going to sit on you and send what's left back to General Hammond."

"But, you-"

"Didn't bother to use your head and realize that Teal'c and I planned it this way," Aris bellowed. "Now, sit the hell down and listen to me!"

She folded her arms across her chest defiantly. "Don't tell me what to do."

Aris threw up his hands in disgust. "_Women! _ No matter _what_ planet you're from, none of you can-" he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath before starting again. "None of you were supposed to come back with me, as you might recall," he said sarcastically. "I knew that Mon'biru would find out about the others sooner or later, and that he'd put the lot of you to work in the mines until he decided what to do with you, so Teal'c and I came up with a plan to make sure we'd be able to get everyone out when it was time."

Jennifer eyed him distrustfully, but listened as he began to explain their plan. When he finally finished and was looking down at her expectantly, she was feeling more than a little ashamed of herself. "You hit me."

"I said that I was sorry," Aris reminded her, shifting from foot to foot. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Well."

"So you _do_ believe me, don't you?"

He suddenly looked like an overgrown boy in need of reassurance. It was slightly alarming, the way her emotions seesawed wherever he was concerned; Jennifer wanted to hold onto her anger, but it _did_ make sense. "You should have told me," she insisted, reaching back to rub at her behind.

"We needed your reactions to be as honest as possible. Goa'uld can be damned observant sometimes."

Jennifer reluctantly agreed that it was the best choice he could have made and started to ask who he'd wanted to trade for, but the door opened and one of the female slaves she'd seen lining the hall came in. The other woman took one look at her then began to advance upon Aris, hissing something in the Ilempiri language that made Aris' eyes go wide. "What's going on?" she asked faintly. Neither of them answered, too busy launching into the most juvenile shouting match she'd ever seen. Jennifer watched, incredulous, as the woman slapped Aris' face – he retaliated by pushing her hard enough to make her fall on her ass, but she was on her feet again in seconds to kick him in the shins and twist the cartilage of his ear.

She'd finally decided to step in when the woman got a handful of his chest hair and pulled it out. "_Ouch! _" Aris roared, clapping a hand to the injured area. "What's _wrong_ with you?"

The woman delivered a final epithet in her native language before wiping her hand off on the fabric of her tunic and turning to Jennifer. "I assure you that he will not force his beastly attentions upon you," she said in the careful way of someone who hasn't spoken English often.

Aris raised a protest at this. "Beastly…!"

"Bu'd sticha, you cousin of a wild sand pig," she snapped. Jennifer was beginning to think she'd somehow stumbled into the middle of a lover's quarrel when she examined the other woman more closely. Her long hair shared the same rich, coppery color as Aris', and her eyes were the same green flecked with gold. "Forgive me for not offering my name earlier. I am named Riah, and have the misfortune to call Aris Boch my brother."

"For all the good that does me," Aris sighed.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

Women were going to be the death of him, never mind that he had numerous enemies scattered throughout the Gate system. First Jennifer overreacted and flew at him like a female catapult of hissing and curses, but when he finally got her settled down, his little sister had to show up and do her one better. He rubbed at his chest again and hitched his tunic higher so Riah wouldn't be tempted to depilate him further. "I came back for you," he said sternly.

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Ty' seis ale o'sel!"

"Watch your language," Aris reprimanded. "Who's been teaching you these things?"

"You have, on the occasions you've graced us with your presence," she snapped back. "What do you want this time, Aris?"

"Since it seems that talking to you in a civilized manner is completely out of the question, I guess I'll have to settle with – oh, I don't know, how about finally freeing our people from the Goa'uld?"

Riah threw up her hands. "It seems you are as insane as you are stupid! I-" she broke off as Jennifer coughed politely to interrupt.

"Excuse me, but I'm not sure it's such a good idea to announce the plan here unless we're sure no one else is listening," she said apologetically.

His sister was incredulous. "You mean, you are truly deluded enough to believe that you can do this?"

Aris glared down at her, temper flaring. "Strangely enough, I'm beginning to reconsider the whole-"

"_Aris!_" Jennifer hissed at him. "Grow up!" She jabbed her index finger into his side to emphasize her disapproval, then reached past him to offer a hand to Riah. "Let's try this again, please. I'm Sergeant Jennifer Taylor from Stargate Command on Earth, and it's nice to meet you."

Riah looked at Jennifer's hand, blinking, and Aris sighed as he grabbed her wrist and guided her into a Tau'ri 'handshake'. This earned him a twin set of scowls, and he sighed again when Jenny drew his sister aside and they began whispering together. Trying to listen in didn't work well; they simply scuttled farther away and made sure he could hear when his name was mentioned, but they came back over soon enough. "Mon'biru may not be tolerant if he learns that I have made time to visit you," Riah said. "It was pleasant to exchange greetings with you, Sergeant Jennifer Taylor." She paused in front of Aris and rested the palm of one hand on his chest. "I will ensure that your friends are cared for as much as is possible, but there have been several shaft collapses since your last journey here."

"I'll keep that in mind – I take it the bodies were prepared as usual?"

Riah nodded, then smiled at him after glancing over at Jennifer slyly. "Take a bath, elder brother; you smell like a swamp hog. I'm sure your Tau'ri doesn't appreciate such an overwhelming stench."

"Don't you have some bowing and scraping to be getting back to?" he asked pointedly.

Jennifer turned to him as Riah left. "I thought she was nice."

"You would."

Her eyes began to narrow dangerously. "What's that supposed-"

"Nothing," he said hastily. "We should be going – no doubt Mon'biru will try to have us followed. Are you…feeling any better?"

Jennifer nodded, struggling to her feet. "A little. I guess I _am_ starting to get used to it here, but I hope you don't expect me to run any marathons."

"A marathon."

"A very, _very_ long race," she explained.

"Huh."

"That _is_ a 'no', isn't it?" Jennifer asked plaintively.

Aris couldn't keep from smiling at the look on her face, and he touched her cheek lightly. "I'll tell you what – if we happen across any marathons in progress, I'll pick you up and carry you."

Jennifer smiled back, reaching up to encircle his fingers with her own. "Deal."

 

_tbc…_  
_____________________________________________________


	11. </strong> Truth and Unforseeable Consequences

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Truth and Unforseeable Consequences  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, Sarge/Dave (SG-13)  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 11:** Truth and Unforseeable Consequences**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

__

Dave slammed the pick against the face of the black rock, grunting as the impact jarred his body so that he could swear he heard his teeth rattle. He sighed as only a thin sliver of naquidah came away, and rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead while Sarge moved to retrieve the pitiful product of his labors. His wife knelt in the fine black dust to scoop up the shards and place them in a bucket, her stiff posture projecting anger. "Take a rest, Dave. You've been working like this all morning," she said, biting off her words in a way that, in any other situation, might have caused him to believe he'd done something wrong.

He sighed, stretching his arms wide and arching his back. "It's not that bad, Rose. Helps take some of the edge off."

Sarge stood, brushing her hair from her face. "I always said he was no good, didn't I say that?"

"So you're happy now he's proved you right?"

Her brown eyes smoldered in her dust-blackened face. "The only thing that'll make me _happy_ is seeing him dead. He betrayed all of us, and who knows what he's done to Jennifer? And don't even get me started on Teal'c."

Dave scratched his neck, reaching out with his other hand to touch Sarge's shoulder. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm starting to think there may be more to this than-"

"You're absolutely right, Dave. I don't want to hear a word of it," she snapped, jerking away from him. "I've got to take this to the belt and get another bucket." Sarge turned to go, then turned back just as sharply to butt her head against his chest. Dave stroked her hair, pulling her close against him tightly before she pulled away again. "I'll bring you some water," Sarge promised tiredly.

"Make sure you get enough for yourself, first."

She canted her head to one side, looking up at him. "Everyone says a wife is supposed to look after her husband."

Dave laughed, shaking his head. "We look after each other because no one else will," he countered. A ghost of her old smile played across her lips in response, and he felt better.

It had been nearly three days since they'd been taken out of Mon'biru's throne room and sentenced to work in the naquidah mines. They'd had limited contact with each other, and the only time he ever actually got to see his wife was while they were both working – the sleeping quarters were segregated into 'dormitories' for men and women, presumably to keep their minds on the back-breaking work instead of sex. Whoever had thought _that_ particular rule up had never mined naquidah. After several hours of work Dave barely had enough energy to even _talk_ to Sarge, let alone sleep with her.

The sound of voices were his cue to lift his pickaxe – or whatever the Ilempiri called them – once more and try his luck at knocking more chunks of rock loose, but he nearly dropped it on his foot in surprise as Aris came into view trailed by one of the 'foremen'. "What the hell do _you_ want?"

His friend – former friend – looked at him silently before turning to the smaller man beside him. "Watch the tunnels."

"Yes, Eldest."

The deferential tone made Dave look at Aris sharply. "Eldest? That another way of getting power around here when you're not selling people into slavery?"

Aris laughed and leaned against the braces that helped keep the mine from collapsing in on itself. "You really think that's what I did to you?"

"Because that is what you did, Aris. And while we're discussing things you _did_, how about telling me what happened to Sergeant Taylor?"

The other man waved a hand in the air dismissively. "She's fine. How's Rose?" Dave felt anger rush through him and before he stopped to think, the pick was swinging through the air directly at Aris… who caught it easily and held it away from his throat as Dave tried his best to press it into his windpipe. "You're smarter than this, Dave. Think a moment – how could I have hidden a group of Tau'ri on a mining settlement? Unless you have some sort of portable cloaking technology you haven't told me about, that is."

Dave heaved on the pick one last time before pushing away, breathing hard. "Sarge gets back before you get your worthless ass out of here, she'll kill you. And I'm in just the right sort of mood to let her."

Aris raised his eyebrows. "Color me terrified."

"What the hell d'you _want? _ If you've come to gloat…"

"I actually came to offer you a deal, but you're clearly not in the mood to listen so I think I'll be on my way," the Ilempiri said, hooking a thumb back towards the tunnels he'd come through.

Taking several deep breaths ensured him that he would be calm enough not to lunge forward and try to kill Aris, Dave looked over at the other man. "What did you mean?"

"What's that."

"You asked if I thought that's really what you did. Wasn't it?" he asked bluntly.

Aris' laugh sounded hollow in the shored-up tunnel. "I did." He leaned back, the picture of nonchalance, and began to explain.

When he finished, Dave didn't know whether to laugh in disbelief or simply knock him on his ass. Maybe he'd do both, once he finally was able to wrap his head around the asinine explanation Aris had just given him. "You really expect me to believe that?"

Aris shrugged as if he truly couldn't care less. "Your choice."

"What'd you mean by making a deal with me?" Dave asked suspiciously.

"You don't like sweet little Rosie down here where she can get hurt – she'd kill you if she ever found out about that, by the way – and I can help with that. Tell the others what's really going on and keep from letting the rest of the Jaffa from finding out about it, and I'll take her and one other out of here."

Dave narrowed his eyes. "Out of here? To where?"

"You don't need to know that much; just have two of you ready to go in three days' time." Aris turned to go, then stopped to face Dave once more. "Go on, the first one's free."

His fist caught Aris on the jaw, knocking the big Ilempiri's head back. He drew his arm back for another blow and was promptly dumped on his ass staring down the barrel of a refitted TER gun.

"You don't want to pay for the second one." Aris fingered his scarred chin, looking down at Dave thoughtfully. "Three days."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"…and you should have seen the look on his face when Laran found out that he'd asked Haira to Festival, too! Aris thought he was being so smart," Riah laughed. "Mother made him apologize to both of them – at the same time. He was so embarrassed, I thought his face would stay orange for an entire lunar cycle!"

Jennifer collapsed against the back of her seat, laughing so hard she was starting to get hiccups. "I bet he wasn't so quick to do _that_ again."

Riah Boch shook her head, still giggling. "Are you serious? He turned right around and asked two more girls!"

"Well, now I know where he got those scars on his face from…" she trailed off as her new friend's face fell. "Oh. I'm… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"It was long ago," Riah sighed, "but I cannot keep from thinking of how he came by those scars whenever I see him or it is mentioned." She tucked her legs beneath her and looked at Jennifer. "Aris can be stubborn, disrespectful, and of such annoyance that I sometimes long for something to strike him with… but he is a good man who does his best to protect all that he holds dear."

_Uh-oh_. She sensed that somehow, the conversation had gone into matchmaking territory. "I'm sure he'll be a good husband for someone," Jennifer babbled, ducking her head to redo her ponytail. "There are several women at the SGC who seem to like him, maybe I could set him up with one of them?"

Riah grinned. "My brother seems to have a gift for leaving women with a smile upon their face, even when he's tricked them out of something precious."

"Um…that's…good to know," Jennifer answered, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. Her friend's grin grew enormous.

"I can arrange for you to see him nude," Riah offered slyly. "Among the Ilempiri, he is considered quite sizable and very-"

"What are you two talking about?"

Jennifer nearly fell off her chair at the sound of Aris' voice issuing from directly behind her and turned her mortified gaze to Riah, who was lying on her back with her feet kicking in the air and laughing her head off. "I was just- we weren't – what happened to your face?" she finally blurted, taking refuge behind the fact that a portion of Aris' jaw was the yellowish-orange shade of a bruise.

"I gave Dave a free swing at it," he said calmly, glancing over at Riah. "Is it such a good idea to be here? Most of the spies Mon'biru sets on your heels answer to me, but you only need one true report to get back to him."

"Are you worried that your reach isn't as long as your…thoughts, Elder Brother?" Riah answered.

Aris folded his arms across his broad chest. "I'm worried that you've let your desire for a friend to gossip with overrule your caution."

"Remember what I said about disrespect and annoyance, Jennifer?" She stood, brushing off her spotless tunic. "Now if you'll pardon me, I seem to have a _desire for gossip_ to overcome."

Jennifer smiled in farewell, clapping her hands to her still-burning cheeks when Riah held her hands in front of her as if measuring something. "Oh!"

"What was that all about?" Aris asked, dropping into a vacant chair and pulling a knife out from somewhere.

She walked over as he began to sharpen it, watching his face carefully. "Nothing, really. Your sister was just… trying to set me up with someone." The knife stopped in mid-stroke, and his eyes lifted to study hers. "I'd, um, better look at your chin."

"It's had worse things happen to it," Aris said. "Who is it?"

"Who is what?" Jennifer asked breathlessly, avoiding his eyes and reaching out to touch his face. He needed a bruise tended to about as much as she needed wings to fly, but there was no way Aris could know that.

Aris caught her wrist, forcing her to look at him. "You know what I mean. Do I know him?" his tone changed subtly, and Jennifer took a deep breath as he leaned closer.

"You probably know him better than anyone else," she said. "And you see him almost every day." Jennifer had no real idea of how much Aris looked in a mirror, but she figured he had to do so whenever he shaved. "Let me see to your face, and we can play Twenty Questions later."

His eyebrows arched. "Twenty Questions?"

"It's a kind of game…" Jennifer explained it to him as she cupped his face, trying to pretend that this wasn't any different than from when he was her patient back on Earth. Then, she'd been strictly business and wouldn't have let herself have the sort of thoughts she was plagued with now. Aris listened quietly and allowed her to run her fingers over his jaw as if it were only a routine exam – the dilation of his pupils was the only betrayal of his mood.

"What happens if I want to ask you questions that aren't really related to each other?" he asked suddenly, the look in his eyes making her feel lightheaded. "Is that allowed?"

"I guess so." Feeling incredibly bold, Jennifer trailed her fingers over his cheek and down to trace the scar that curled down his chin and across his jaw. She was close enough to inhale the clean scent of his skin – wherever he'd been, Aris had taken time to bathe before returning. "What did you want to ask?"

The feel of his arm encircling her waist should have brought her back to her senses, but she allowed him to ease her onto his lap. "Oh, many things…what your childhood on Earth was like, why you decided to join your military…but the most important question" his other hand cupped the side of her face gently as he leaned in slowly, giving her time to reject him "is who the man I see nearly every day is."

_Now or never, I guess_. Jennifer placed a hand on his chest, gently pushing him away. Aris masked his disappointment well as she reached for the knife laying abandoned on the table. As she lifted it up to show him his reflection, she suddenly felt incredibly stupid. "He's in here," Jennifer stuttered, trying to climb off of his lap and go somewhere to die. "God, that's so cheesy…!"

Aris caught her by the waist, his chest shaking with mirth as she struggled against him. "Stay where you _are_," he finally said, brushing laugh tears from his eyes. "Humans."

Jennifer made one last desperate bid to break his hold before Aris cradled her face in his hands and slanted his mouth over hers in a kiss that turned her limbs to water. When he came up for air, she found that her arms were wound tight around his neck and her previous embarrassment seemed half a world away. Jennifer craned her neck for another kiss but his lips had barely brushed hers when an urgent pounding at the door made them break apart.

"You've been summoned," the man at the door gasped when Aris opened it. "He's sending his Jaffa for you, but I figured-"

Aris held up a hand. "What is it?"

"Something to do with the Tau'ri captives, that's all I know." He sucked in a lungful of air, coughing. "I came as quick as I could to warn you. He's not happy about something."

Nodding, Aris motioned him inside. "Take the linen for cleaning so you'll have an excuse for being here. Jenny, remember that gown Riah brought you? Change into it, quickly – the longer he waits, the more he'll remember you came with us."

Jennifer hurried into the washroom to pull off her clothes and throw on the indicated clothing, hearing the metallic scraping of Aris fastening his armor. She ran back in and had just enough time for Aris to instruct her in the behavior she was expected to display before Mon'biru – then the Jaffa burst through the door and pointed their staff weapons at both of them.

  


  
_tbc…_  
________________________________________________

  



	12. </strong> Some Gifts Might Just Keep On Giving

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Some Gifts Might Just Keep On Giving  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** This chapter is basically a continuous make-out session but if you squint, you might catch a glimpse of the plot. Sorry.

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 12:**Some Gifts Might Just Keep On Giving**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

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"The Tau'ri you brought me are causing problems," Mon'biru snapped as soon as Aris entered the throne room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jenny sinking to one knee as he'd taught her. "Well?" the Goa'uld snarled.

Aris made brief obeisance, knowing exactly which human was giving Mon'biru fits. "I would venture to guess that a certain member of SG-1 is the cause of your distress, my Lord." He shook his head, making a display of rueful commiseration…which wasn't that hard to do, since O'Neill was the biggest pain in the ass he'd ever met. "Colonel Jack O'Neill is enough to make a mother eat her young."

The Goa'uld's eyes flashed angrily. "Why was I not informed of this before?"

It must be truly wondrous to be in a position of power over an entire planet, and not know a damned thing. "Forgive me, my Lord," Aris apologized, grinding his teeth in fury. "I was under the impression that Lord Sokar had informed you of SG-1's…peculiarities."

Mon'biru's glare intensified at the implication that Sokar had been withholding information from him. "Perhaps I will dispose of this O'Neill so that the others do not learn from his example."

Aris inclined his head. "As my lord wishes, so shall it be." He opened his mouth as if to say something else, then shut it again, knowing Mon'biru would take the bait.

"What is it? Speak!"

He coughed, rubbing at his collarbone to feign nervousness. "I was only thinking that if my lord could, ah, break O'Neill to his will, my lord might have greater leverage in bargaining with Sokar," Aris said slyly. "He would set you above all others for succeeding." When Mon'biru sat back thoughtfully, Aris knew he'd effectively diverted him. "Sokar might not appreciate any irreparable damage but if you were to force O'Neill to, say, clear the mines from the ruins…"

Mon'biru smiled unpleasantly. "You continue to prove useful to me, Aris. One of these days I shall catch you without a quick answer." He lifted his arm to display the hand device attached to his palm.

_One of these days, I'll kill you first_. "One day, my lord."

"I see you've kept your Tau'ri pet. Is she pleasing to you?"

Aris smiled, shaking his head carelessly. "She's…adequate. Would you like her?" He could see Jenny stiffen in alarm and he walked over to her. "They all seem the same to me." Aris reached out to draw a finger down her neck and she jerked away, her eyes filling with panic.

The Goa'uld waved his hand dismissively, suddenly bored. "Just take her and leave my sight."

Aris inclined his head, closing his hand around Jenny's upper arm to hustle her from the chamber before Mon'biru changed his mind. She stumbled along beside him, keeping her head down so that her hair fell in front of her face and made it impossible for him to see her expression. As soon as they rounded the corner of the adjoining hallway, he released her. "Jenny…"

"I know," she said irritably. "But if it happens again, I'll do something bad to you."

An image of her threatening him with a hypodermic needle entered his head suddenly. "Like what?"

She refrained from answering until the door to her quarters slid open upon their approach, then turned to look up at him. "I…I'll never kiss you again."

The corners of her lips quivered, bringing back the thwarted desire of their earlier…encounter… and making the recent confrontation with Mon'biru seem like it had been days ago instead of just minutes. Ah, _Bo'ziei_; he wanted to kiss her again now! "That's quite a threat."

Jennifer looked up at him seriously, and he waited for her to ask him to leave – it was what he expected since he knew her reaction to his 'offer' was unfeigned. Instead, she surprised him by directing him to secure the door against any more unwanted interruptions. "Luckily for you, I'm not planning on enforcing that threat. Not right now, anyway."

Aris turned back to her after sealing the door. "No?"

Raising herself on her toes and tugging on his armor to make him lean down, Jenny placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "No." He slid his arms around her slowly, pulling her closer. Giving her another chance to reject him. Jenny's lips pursed slightly in unmistakable invitation, and Aris lowered his head to hers.

Her lips parted beneath his and she curved one arm around his neck while the other hand fumbled with the catch of his armor. "Jen-ny," he warned softly.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jennifer shook her head at him. "Can you sit down? I'm not tall enough…" He drew away from her long enough to sink down on the nearest surface, pulling her onto his lap. She resumed trying to unlatch his armor. The scene in the audience chamber had been terrifying enough even _without_ Aris blatantly offering her to the Goa'uld, and she was bound and determined to get back the sense of intimacy (and security) that she'd felt with him before Mon'biru's Jaffa had interrupted.

He finally seemed to realize that she was after reassurance more than sex, because he brushed her hands away and removed the shoulder and backplates of his armor. "Take this off, too?" she blurted out before she had a chance to think it over, pinching a fold of his undershirt between her fingers.

"Better not," Aris coughed. He still looked ashamed of himself over the stunt he'd pulled in the throne room.

"You have to change anyway," Jennifer challenged. "You owe me, remember?"

"So to make up for scaring you, I have to get naked?"

She laughed and resituated herself so that she was straddling him, her toes barely touching the floor. "I don't think I could handle seeing you completely naked."

"I'm told it's quite a sight for the uninitiated," he agreed, sliding his hands up along her thighs and around her waist. "Jenny, I _am_ sorry."

Jennifer ran her fingers over his scars, contemplating hauling back and slapping the daylights out of him. _One of these days when he's least expecting it_, she swore. "Like I said: Don't do it again." She leaned in for a kiss slowly. "Promise?"

"Promise," Aris breathed, releasing her just long enough to pull his undershirt over his head.

It dropped to the floor unheeded as she kissed him, tentative at first but then with growing confidence as his arms tightened around her. Aris held her pressed against him and Jennifer smoothed her palms over the warm, muscled skin of his back and shoulders. Resting her forehead against his, she ran her fingertips across the multiple ridges of scar tissue on his skin and through the dark hair on his chest. "When did you get these?"

"I believe it's known as puberty in both our cultures."

Jennifer tugged on his chest hair. "Oh, you know what I'm talking about."

"I can't remember." He shrugged. "After a while, you stop keeping track."

Slipping out of his lap, Jennifer leaned back against the pillows and stretched. Aris' eyes followed her movements and she tapped the surface beside her – after all, it wasn't as if they were in her bedroom. _So why does this couch feel just like a bed you're inviting him into? _ A voice in the back of her head whispered. "Oh, shut up."

He frowned. "What?"

"Not you," she said hastily.

Aris stretched out next to her, propping himself up on an elbow. "You humans love talking to yourselves."

He reached out to wind a strand of her hair around his fingers and Jennifer instinctively leaned into the semi-caress, her eyes closing. "There's so much about you I don't know."

"Not much worth knowing," Aris assured her.

Jennifer opened her eyes to look at him. "You're worth knowing. Tell me something."

"Well, like what?"

She'd planned to ask him something silly, like the first time he'd ever kissed a girl, but it came out a bit differently. "How are you still able to _laugh_, after all that's happened here?" Aris looked down at her silently, and she wondered if she'd gone too far – he'd always been after her to be more assertive, so it was his own fault if she asked something he didn't want to answer…but still. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

Aris interrupted her by shaking his head, eyes fixing on a portion of the wall beyond her shoulder. "No, it's…it's fine. I suppose you have the right to an answer." He stopped as if thinking of what he would say and was silent for such a long time, Jennifer felt worse about asking him something so personal. When he sighed and began to speak once more, his voice was so quiet that she had to strain to hear.

"When they came, I wasn't much younger than you. None of us had ever seen anything like the Goa'uld before, and the Elders thought they could be reasoned with – we'd done some trade with a few nearby planets and I suppose they figured that a compromise could be reached." Aris looked down at her, then away again. "By the time we'd figured out that nothing would stop the Goa'uld, it was already too late. Al'kesh took out the government buildings on the Northern Continent first, then they started bombing the residential district."

Jennifer placed her hand on his chest, and he looked at her again with haunted eyes. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." She wondered how long it had been since he'd spoken about it to anyone; despite his deceptively cheerful nature, she'd gotten to know him well enough to realize that most of his relationships with others were purely superficial. He'd been carrying a burden his entire life that precluded intimacy of any kind.

One corner of his mouth curved in a mirthless smile. "Like I said before, there's not much to tell. They came and slaughtered most of my people, enslaved the rest, and I grew up in a hurry. You might have noticed that the Goa'uld and most of the Jaffa insist upon being taken seriously?"

Jennifer nodded.

"When I figured out the best way to annoy them was not to take _anything_ seriously, I used that to my advantage." Aris shook his head. "If you can't laugh at the way life treats you, you'd cry… or hunt for a land mine to dance on."

"Oh, Aris." She couldn't imagine him _ever_ considering self-harm, but then again she guessed while she didn't know him as well as she'd thought, she cared for him a lot more than he thought. "If you ever want someone to talk to, I'll be here. You can tell me as much or as little as you want, whenever you're ready."

"You shouldn't be here at all," he reminded her, the familiar mask of cheerfulness and teasing settling back over his features and disturbing her far more than his offer to give her to Mon'biru. "I need to-" Jennifer interrupted him with a kiss, determined to chase the shadows from his eyes. Tossing her leg over his hip, she dragged her nails down his back lightly. "I suppose it could wait."

"I suppose it could," she agreed. Twining her arms around his neck, Jennifer sighed as he pulled her close.

Aris kissed her until she arched against his body; she could feel him, heavy and hard against her stomach before he lifted his hips and rolled away to sit up, apologizing. "Forgive me." He sucked in an unsteady breath and dropped his eyes. "I didn't mean to…"

Her face felt hot enough to burst into flame. "No, it's okay. I probably shouldn't have, um…" A daring glance towards Aris showed the big Hunter sucking his bottom lip between his teeth and looking as mortified as an adolescent boy caught in an extremely compromising position. Jennifer's gaze inadvertently dropped to his lap, then back up to his face to find him looking at her. _Oh, God_. She whipped her head around to study the wall. "That's a beautiful wall-hanging, is it local?"

"I need to go, I have…something to do," Aris said at the same time.

It was definitely one of the most awkward moments she'd ever experienced in his presence, made more so by the fact that _he_ felt embarrassed by it. "Okay then, have fun," she blurted before realizing what the fictitious 'something' probably was.

Aris coughed. "I'll just get my shirt."

He practically ran from the room, leaving his body armor behind. Jennifer buried her face in her hands as she tried to pinpoint exactly when things had started going wrong. She probably shouldn't have insisted on 'comfort' in the first place, but she'd been so upset after Mon'biru had asked about her… and it wasn't as if Aris hadn't been interested. He'd been showing his interest rather actively before they'd been summoned, after all. His interest had been extremely apparent when he'd been nearly on top of her and she'd moved to touch…

"What's happening?" Riah demanded, charging through the door to fling herself down on the couch. "I just passed Aris on the way here, and it looked like he'd just been attacked by…" she trailed off, taking in Jennifer's similarly disheveled appearance with interested eyes. "You?"

"I can explain," Jennifer said defensively.

Riah grinned and made herself comfortable. "It's about time."

  


  
_tbc…_  
________________________________________________

  



	13. </strong> Dirty Laundry

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Dirty Laundry  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** If the description of the Southern Continent's shield sounds a bit familiar... well, it's meant to ;)

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 13:** Dirty Laundry**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

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Teal'c walked back and forth in front of the section they were currently mining, keeping watch in case any of Mon'biru's Jaffa came to check up on them. Jack was still considerably less than pleased when he'd finally learned of Aris' plans, but Daniel had a hunch that his friend was only mad that he'd actually fallen for it in the first place.

The archaeologist had already gotten over the worst of his own anger, realizing that Aris really hadn't had much of a choice – SG-1's presence on Ilempir couldn't have gone unnoticed for very long and once they had been discovered, all of the bounty hunter's plans to free his people would have ended with his own execution.

They'd waited until that morning to decide who the two 'rescued' would be; Jack had wanted to send Sam but she'd refused to go, citing the fact that SG-1 was the more valuable prize; they'd have a greater chance of being caught if one of them were missing. Besides, Cameron Balinsky hadn't been made to do this sort of hard labor – not that anyone _else_ was, but the other scientist had been having trouble breathing and they were all worried about his health. Sarge was, predictably, furious that she was being made to abandon Dave but after her husband had reminded her that their five children would be orphaned if both of them stayed, she'd given in, albeit ungracefully.

Daniel looked over to where the married couple was saying their farewells; Sarge burrowed against Dave as he stroked her hair, talking in low-voiced murmurs that didn't carry to the rest of them. Sam and Jack were talking to Cameron, who had his fist shoved against his mouth in an effort to keep from coughing. "It is time," Teal'c announced suddenly.

Jack climbed to his feet and walked to meet an uncharacteristically serious Aris, who was followed by a group of similarly grim-faced Ilempiri. "Come to bust us all out of here?" he asked sarcastically.

"Hardly," Aris said, glancing around at them. "I _did_ manage to get the rest of you reassigned aboveground – thank me later. Which of you are coming with me?" Cameron raised his hand and Sarge jerked her chin in acknowledgement. "Let's go, we've got a shaft to collapse. The rest of you, follow _them_. Teal'c?"

The Jaffa inclined his head. "I will ensure that they come to no harm."

"Hey, wait a _minute-_"

Dave interrupted Jack by stepping forward and offering his hand. "Keep 'em out of trouble."

Aris clasped the other man's forearm. "I'd say that's damn near impossible."

"Try anyway," Dave suggested wryly.

"Do my best." Turning, the bounty hunter beckoned to the women and men accompanying him and addressed them in their own language – Daniel was able to pick out a few words like 'tunnel' and 'careful' before he hooked an arm through Balinsky's and hauled the man to his feet.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sarge kissed Dave and stepped back to look up at her husband. "I'll come back for you."

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," he smiled. "Make sure he takes those bracelets off _before_ the great escape, okay? I couldn't love a one-armed wife."

She swallowed past the lump in her throat, narrowing her eyes against the sting of tears. "I'd just cut one of yours off so we'd match."

"Well that's okay, then," Dave decided, then caught her up in his arms once more. "I love you, Rose."

"Don't call me that in public," she snuffled against his neck, "But I love you, too."

Aris' hand was gentle on her shoulder. "Charges go off in ten; we've gotta go." If he said a single thing about seeing her cry, she was going to kill him in the most painful way imaginable. Thankfully for both of them, Aris didn't even look at her as she scrubbed her dirty sleeve across her eyes and followed him after glancing back at Dave one last time. She wasn't really in the mood to murder anyone, anyway.

He held them back when a Jaffa patrol went by, then hurried them into a notably unstable part of the mines to remove their bracelets. Sarge sucked in a startled breath when he threw a heavy tarp aside to reveal several corpses. "Aris, what-"

"Help me move them," her friend demanded, grabbing one of them by the ankles and dragging the body to the far side of the chamber. "I'll explain later."

Cameron clapped a hand over his mouth to keep himself from vomiting as they quickly moved the rest of them around. Sarge watched Aris lock their bracelets around the wrists of two corpses, and then they were rushed down a shored-up access tunnel before the explosions were triggered. The walls shook as the section of the mine caved in on itself, and they waited until the worst of the aftershocks were over before Aris took them up to the surface.

Sarge squinted against the brightness of the midwinter sun, momentarily blinded as her eyes tried to adjust. Cameron doubled over in a coughing fit, wheezing pathetically as he groped his way over to her. "Can you see yet? I can't see anything," he complained.

"Give it a moment," Aris said calmly, from somewhere off to the left. She could hear him talking to someone before his footsteps came closer. "I need both of you to stay out of sight for a while – I'll send someone to show you the way to the caves."

"You're just going to _leave_ us here?" Cameron panted.

The sudden absence of noise made Sarge sigh. "I think we've already been left. My vision's coming back, though." She wiped her streaming eyes, squinting down at the ground as it slowly swam into focus. They could hear distant shouting from the direction of the mines as the others reacted to the 'accidental' collapse, and Sarge looked up to see several mine workers scattered around them - she counted one for each body she'd helped Aris move.

The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps made her tense, and Sarge grabbed up a stout length of branch as she crouched beside Cameron. "What is it?" he coughed.

"Someone's coming…"

Jennifer burst from the trees abruptly, and Sarge lowered her makeshift weapon. "_Rose! _ Cameron," she cried, running over to fling her arms around both of them. "I'm so glad you're okay, are you okay?" Casting a critical eye over them, she frowned. "He doesn't look so hot – let's get all of you up to the caves, I have my medical kit up there."

Bemused, Sarge helped her friend gather up the other Ilempiri and make the laborious walk up a path that Jennifer seemed quite familiar with. They had to stop frequently to let the others rest, but at length arrived at a cleverly concealed entrance to a cave system not unlike the one they'd first come through when their SG teams had arrived from Earth.

True to her word, Jennifer busied herself with checking each of them and handed out rations of food and water – the Ilempiri took theirs with the ever-present roshna – then came to sit beside her teammates.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
She was still very concerned over Cameron's weakened condition, but he seemed to be recovering slowly now that he wasn't constantly breathing naquidah dust. Sarge seemed as healthy as ever, if more than a bit peeved at leaving Dave behind.

After making another round to check on the Ilempiri, Jennifer was on her way back to her friends when the sound of the ring platform made her look up from her bag. "All clear?" she called.

"Clear enough," Aris replied tiredly, walking into the main chamber. He looked done in and was so dirty, Jennifer wouldn't have been able to tell who it was if he hadn't been wearing the tell-tale armor. "_Poi'jtsem s'vais_," he instructed the others. "_Jei'to bezp'iecny_."

"What the hell was that?" Sarge hissed.

"Um, something about it being safe now," Jennifer whispered back. "Come on, let's get everyone to the rings."

"You stink to high heaven," Sarge announced as they passed Aris.

He sniffed pointedly. "That makes two of us."

Jennifer helped the others to the platform before coming back to find Aris. The big man was covering the cave's entrance and wiping out the tracks of the recently freed prisoners. He glanced up at her as she approached, and she thought that she'd never seen him look so exhausted. "They're all onboard," she said, shifting her weight anxiously. "Should I go back to-"

"No, you'll come with me this time." Aris turned away to finish scattering dirt across the scuffed tracks.

She'd been waiting to be able to come along (and getting annoyed that she was waiting for _permission_) because it had always been too dangerous for her to be missing from the main hall, but now he didn't seem very happy at 'allowing' it. "Oh."

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "As far as Mon'biru knows, you're on one of the work crews as punishment for trying to escape."

"Let me guess, you caught me sneaking out of bed naked?" Jennifer asked wryly.

"With a knife twice the length of your arm," Aris confirmed.

"Where, exactly, did I get a knife twice the length of my arm?"

"I'm still working that one out. The point is, after the spanking came banishment to the mines." He finished going over the chamber while she grumbled about spanking _him_, then Aris came to loom over her. "I left out the part where you loved every minute of it."

Jennifer wrinkled her nose at him. "Rose was right; you _do_ stink."

They Ringed aboard the tel'tak, and Jennifer planted herself directly behind him after helping one of the worst-off into the co-pilot's chair. Rose and Cameron gave her a few looks when she placed her hands on Aris' shoulders and leaned in to ask him an occasional question, and she could sense an upcoming round of Twenty Questions from each of them. Well, they could ask all they liked. It wasn't as if anything had happened. _Yet, anyway_.

The tel'tak entered a bank of clouds and Aris began to lower the craft to the landmass below as the Ilempiri gathered around them began to talk all at once. "What is that? Where are we?" Sarge asked, pointing.

Below them was spread an array of buildings much like the ruins they had so recently left. Jennifer could see where several structures were being reconstructed, and frowned – why in the world would they risk rebuilding? She wondered at it as Aris landed the tel'tak in the wide space between three of the largest buildings, and was partially answered when a thin forcefield settled around the edges of the city like a dome.

Aris explained that when the Goa'uld had first approached his planet the Elders had raised the defensive shield around the Southernmost continent, where the people of Ilempir had begun assembling a shipyard. "Most of the people lived either in the north, or on the islands," Aris explained wearily.

"For as long as I can remember, the Elders had been trying to figure out the technology left by our ancestors - they'd started tests on naquidah energy generation when the Goa'uld came. The shield scrambles energy patterns and sensor readings, so the entire continent reads as a series of small, barren islands – as you can tell, it was bombed a few times as a precaution."

Jennifer was about to ask him a few dozen more questions when she remembered that he was barely able to keep his eyes open as it was. "You can finish telling us after you've had a chance to take a bath and get some sleep," she commanded, going into what she'd heard several of the SFs back on Earth call Nurse Mode.

He looked vaguely startled as she descended upon him, intent upon bodily removing him from his seat while his fellow Ilempiri watched with thinly-veiled amusement. "But, my people…"

"…are in good enough hands, since you've already told me about the others you've taken from the mines. You're no use to them if you're dead on your feet, and did I mention the smell?"

Aris grunted something about having no respect for authority.

"What was that?"

"Nothing…"

"Somehow I thought as much." Jennifer hauled him off after apologizing to an astonished Sarge and Cameron, and wouldn't let him escape until she'd gotten soap and towels and barricaded the door to the baths.

"You've gotten really pushy," Aris complained, stifling a yawn. "Ordinarily it would be fine, maybe even a _turn-on_, but-"

"Take your clothes off and get in that water before I zat you!"

"This isn't how I imagined you'd get me naked," he grumbled, loosening the catches of his armor while she helped him slide it off. Jennifer politely averted her eyes as Aris stripped and got in the water, then came to sit beside the warm pool and talk to him while he washed himself. "There's room for one more," Aris said hopefully, patting the surface of the water with one hand.

Jennifer laughed, reaching over to dunk his head beneath the water. "You wish."

"I do, actually."

The effect of this pronouncement was somewhat ruined by another yawn and she laughed again. "Maybe later."

Aris was silent for a full thirty seconds. Then, "How about now? Now is later."

"Hurry up and finish washing before you fall asleep and drown," she scolded, trying not to let her eyes linger on the way the water trickled down his back when Aris ducked his head under to rinse his hair. She wasn't quite sure how he could summon so much energy just for flirting, but then that was Aris all over. And speaking of _all over_, that was as much of him as Jennifer could see as he hauled himself out of the water without so much as a word of warning. "Wuh," was all she could manage.

"Wuh?"

"Naked, you're…"

"Staring."

"Well, you're _right there! _" Jennifer exclaimed, still trying to find a safe resting place for her eyes.

If he was smiling, she had no idea. She still couldn't look up into his face yet. "I need a towel," he informed her.

She fastened her gaze onto the muscled thigh to her left, trying not to allow herself to be too interested in tracing the scars any higher than his knee. "You could have just asked before you got out." But of course that wasn't his style at all, not when he could have simply hopped out and _bam! _

"Bam?"

Shit, that had been out loud. "It's an old Earth saying, meaning 'rude.'" Jennifer threw a towel in the general direction of his voice, which was a bad idea; he moved to catch it, and… "Oh, my."

Aris knotted the towel around his waist and retrieved the other, yawning as he dried his torso with it. "Sleep with me."

"Ex_cuse_ me?" Jennifer demanded.

"You wanted me to get some sleep," Aris pointed out. "I'll sleep better if you're with me."

She had to admit, the idea had its appeal. But then again… "I don't think so."

"Stay with me until I fall asleep, then," he bargained.

The moment she agreed his expression showed that he was definitely up to something, and when Aris had shown her his 'quarters' she found out what. Wrapping his arms around her, Aris hauled her into bed with him before she had a chance to struggle. "Aris! What-"

He silenced her with a kiss, then pulled the covers around them. "'Night, Jenny."

She tried to wriggle out of his arms, but that simply made him tighten them around her. Jennifer sighed irritably, glaring at the broad expanse of chest in front of her. "You're impossible." When no response was forthcoming, Jennifer glanced up to see that Aris had already fallen asleep. "Figures." Sighing again, she shifted into a more comfortable position and wrapped an arm around his waist – she'd been in worse situations; she could definitely handle this one.

  


  
_tbc…_  
________________________________________________

  



	14. </strong> The Pursuit of Happiness

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** The Pursuit of Happiness  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Yeah, this chapter is pretty much one continuous sex scene.

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 14:** The Pursuit of Happiness**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

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__

  
He supposed that she'd had the right idea to force him to sleep, even if she'd severely undermined his authority in front of his people by ordering him around. Aris opened an eye cautiously to find that Jennifer was still in the bed with him…well, barely. She was clinging to the side and it looked like she would fall out at any moment so he hooked an arm around her hip and pulled her back against his chest, wrapping himself around her.

Jenny murmured his name in her sleep and snuggled closer. His ego thus bolstered, Aris buried his face in her hair and started to doze off… only to be reawakened by the feeling of a tiny hand worming its way under the towel that was still wrapped around his waist. "What do you think you doing?"

"'S wet," she mumbled sleepily. "You'll be cold."

It figured that the one time she made a pass at him, all he wanted to do was to continue sleeping. Aris sighed and retrieved her hand before it went further south. "Go back to sleep."

She made a rude noise in protest and he smiled as he drifted off to sleep once more. Aris dreamed that they were back in the baths and he was patting the water in invitation… only _this_ time, Jenny smiled and came closer. She sat down on the edge of the heated pool, reaching over to run her fingers along his shoulders then up through his wet hair. Aris sighed, closing his eyes when she bent to lick the curve of his ear, one hand sliding down his chest into the water. He groaned and lifted his hips to her caresses while Jenny closed her teeth on the skin just below his ear.

He could hear her whispers as he shoved against the palm of her hand, he could feel her breath cooling the places where she'd licked his skin… and then he woke up to find that she was still as persistent as ever. "_What_ are you-" he closed his mouth over the rest of the stupid question, since it was extremely obvious what she was doing.

Jenny started to draw her hand back, her face reddening in embarrassment, until he closed his fingers around her wrist. "You're awake," she blurted.

"I'd noticed," Aris assured her. Despite the fact that she'd just been fondling a rather appreciative part of his anatomy, she promptly began to stutter out a far-fetched explanation about possible circulatory problems and needing to 'experiment' to make sure he didn't have any of them.

He let her ramble for a few minutes while he tried not to laugh, then watched as Jenny blushed harder, the red tinge spreading down her neck and out of sight beneath the top she was wearing. "Don't pretend you didn't like it," she shot back, embarrassment finally turning to irritation at his teasing.

"As you can tell, I can pretend nothing," Aris laughed, motioning to the tented front of the towel that was barely clinging to his waist. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to take advantage of sleeping, helpless men?"

"Forget it, I'm leaving-"

"It's better to wake them up and _then_ take advantage of them," he finished, crooking his finger at her.

"I hate you," Jenny informed him.

Aris clapped a hand to his heart as if wounded, and she turned away to hide her smile from him. "No, you don't."

She stole a glance at him as he sat up, draping one of the blankets over his lap so she wouldn't feel even more embarrassed. Aris didn't think he'd ever met a more puzzling woman in his entire life. "Okay, I don't," she admitted. "But I wish you'd stop teasing me so badly; I don't like it."

"But Jen, honey, it's kind of hard for me to figure out what you _do_ like. Mind reading isn't exactly one of my talents," he said honestly, drawing her back into his arms where she immediately snuggled against him. Taking care to avoid pressing herself against a certain area, of course. Aris liked how her head fit under his chin, as if she'd been made to be there. "I don't really mean to embarrass you."

"I know you can't really help it, but whenever I'm trying to…you know, set a, um, _mood_…you pretty much ruin it by not taking it seriously."

Aris wondered how he could convince her to return her hand to his lap. "If you didn't look like you do when you blush, that wouldn't be a problem."

"So this is _my_ fault?" Jenny demanded incredulously, leaning back to glare at him.

"Actually, it is." He gave up waiting and tossed the towel across the room. "It drives me insane, imagining just how far down your blushes go."

Her brown eyes grew huge as she realized that the only things separating them were her own clothes, and that the next move was entirely up to her.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jennifer chewed on her lip as she looked up at him, wondering what she should do. Every single molecule of estrogen she possessed was cheering her on and she knew Aris was up (in every sense of the word) for it, but she'd never taken the lead in any relationship she'd ever had. What if he laughed at her if she told him what she really wanted, even though he'd promised that he wouldn't? Well, Aris didn't exactly _promise_ not to laugh so much as he'd said it was hard not to…

He shifted suddenly to stretch out onto the bed, tucking one arm beneath his head and arching his back in a silent reminder of business she'd left unfinished. Of course that made her eyes drop down below his stomach and she felt her face grow hot. Jennifer quickly looked back into his face expecting to find Aris smirking at her, but his green-gold eyes held nothing but heat as he looked back at her. That more than anything else made her decision for her, and Jennifer's stomach twisted in excitement as she reached to touch his chest and a shiver ran through his large frame.

She combed her fingers through the dark hair on the powerful chest, dipping down to stroke over his stomach to make him quiver beneath her hands. Aris moved his arm from under his head to skim his palm up her thigh and Jennifer slid down beside him, leaning over for a kiss.

Aris' tongue flicked against hers and she moaned into his mouth when his hands pushed under the hem of her shirt and past her bra. Jennifer pressed against him eagerly as he palmed her breasts, the rougher skin on the pads of his fingers making her shiver as Aris stroked her nipples to aching points. "Won't your people come – _ah!_ – looking for you?" she asked, moaning softly.

"They'd better not," Aris said, pulling away from her slightly to yank her shirt up to her neck and frown at her bra in irritation. "What _is_ this, and how do I get it off of you?" he demanded.

When she caught his eyes going to where a brace of throwing knives were kept, Jennifer headed him off with, "Don't you dare!" and rolled onto her side facing away from him.

She reached her hands back to the clasp, and Aris made a noise of acknowledgement. "Let me," he murmured, lifting her hair aside and settling astride her hips.

His fingertips glided over her buttocks and up her spine and Jennifer squirmed as Aris pulled her shirt off completely, unhooking the clasp of her bra and pushing the straps down her shoulders. "You Earthlings and your clothing," he laughed softly. Aris' large hands slid under her to cup her breasts once more, and Jennifer pushed her upper body up off of the mattress as he bent to run his tongue over the side of her neck. She could feel his erection pressing into the small of her back, and wriggled until it was trapped against the curve of her ass.

Aris hummed against Jennifer's skin appreciatively and shifted his grip so that he held one arm across her chest and the other around her hips, thrusting against her. When he shoved his hand under her skirt and between her legs Jennifer embarrassed herself by nearly collapsing face-first into her pillow, only to be held up by Aris' arm supporting her. She rocked back against him frantically as his fingers gathered her moisture, rubbing until she shuddered and keened.

He flipped her onto her back easily, and Jennifer was barely aware of him removing the rest of her clothing before Aris moved back over her to insinuate a thigh between hers. "You're not going to sleep on me, are you?" he asked warily.

The lethargic aftereffects of pleasure made her shake her head slowly, looking up at him through heavily lidded eyes. "No."

"Good." Aris lowered his face to hers and proceeded to kiss her until she wrapped her arms around him and was trying to pull his body down to hers. His growl of pleasure when she resorted to sliding a hand between them made her smile against his lips. "And that…is _very_ good."

Jennifer laughed softly, sliding her hand up and down his erect length to pull another growl from his throat. "Yeah?"

He shoved his cock into her fist, panting. "Yeah."

Tugging Aris' face down to hers with one hand, she continued to fondle him with the other as they kissed. Guiding the tip of him to her entrance, Jennifer wrapped her legs around his hips as Aris slowly pushed forward. She dug her fingernails into his back and whimpered while he slid inside her, his length stretching and filling her until she was nearly at the brink of another climax. "Don't – don't move, just stay…" Aris shifted slightly, and her eyes rolled back in her head. "Oh, _God…!_"

"What, again? I just got here!" he said incredulously and despite their situation, she couldn't help but start laughing.

Jennifer did her best to stop laughing but when she looked up into his face, his expression made her begin all over again. She wheezed something about an eviction notice that made _him_ start laughing, then they both were and she was dealing with the extraordinary sensation of _feeling_ Aris laughing in their extremely intimate position. "You're horrible," she dutifully informed him.

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

"And you love it," he responded instantly. "Stop lying to yourself!"

Aris could feel her legs still wrapped around him, and he swallowed hard when Jenny squirmed around. He'd distracted her by making her laugh, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before she'd insist on what he'd deprived her of earlier. Not that he minded, of course – it was a matter of pride to discover how many times he could bring a woman to her pleasure – but he didn't want to overwhelm her to the point where she wouldn't want a repeat performance or two. Or three, or four…

She moaned softly as he drew out of her slightly and rewarded him with a louder moan when he pushed back in, seating himself within her firmly as he murmured love-words in Ilempiri. He did it again, this time withdrawing nearly to her outer folds before thrusting back into Jenny's welcoming heat.

He'd never particularly cared for his name beyond the fact that his parents had liked it enough to choose it for him, but the way it sounded coming from her lips as she looked up at him from beneath her lashes… it was his new favorite word. Aris made her repeat it over and over as he made love to her, suddenly conscious of the fact that it was indeed _love_.

Rolling to hold her above him Aris watched her throw her head back, all traces of her retiring nature gone. He levered himself up on his elbows, rolling his hips and earning an even louder moan from Jenny. They rocked together, gasping and moaning as they clung to each other, until Aris spilled her onto her back once more. Jenny clawed at his back and left scratches down the length of his spine as he buried himself inside her, thrusting hard.

If he'd thought Jenny had been loud the _first_ time she'd climaxed, the scream she let out now nearly deafened him. A part of him briefly wondered how many people had heard her and if he could make her be even louder next time, but the majority of his attention was fixed on achieving his own orgasm. Aris could still feel her contracting around him spasmodically and with a final twist of his hips he threw his head back, groaning Jenny's name as he filled her with his seed.

Regretfully withdrawing from her body, Aris collapsed off to one side so he wouldn't accidentally crush her. Jenny curled against him, mumbling something, placing a small hand on his heaving chest as his pulse still thundered in his ears. "That wasn't bad," he gasped.

Jenny pushed up on an elbow, staring down at him in shock. "_Not bad?_ "

"Well, _I_ was pretty good…" Aris flung a hand up to protect his face as she grabbed up a pillow and smacked him with it. He knocked it away after she tried it again, seizing her about the waist and hauling her atop him, laughing.

She struggled only momentarily before dropping her head to his chest, nestling close with a contented sigh. Aris combed his fingers through her dark hair, wondering how soon it would be acceptable to ask for a repeat. He had his reputation to think of, after all. "Aris?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Yes?"

"When was the last time you took roshna?"

He frowned, trying to think back. Which was odd, because lately he'd been drinking the _ho'vno_ so frequently that it should be hard to remember when he hadn't drunk any. "It was just after we left the northern continent," he realized.

"That was hours ago," she yawned against his collarbone. "You don't need more?"

Aris stretched beneath her, holding her against him so that she couldn't fail to note his continued interest in staying right where he was. "I need more of _you_," he leered.

Jenny giggled shyly. "Again?"

"Always," he promised her. "If you hadn't kept me waiting for so long, I might have been ready to leave you alone."

"So now it's my fault!" She suddenly flailed upright and planted both hands on his chest, staring down at him with eyes wide. "Wait just a minute… maybe it _is_ my fault!"

"I won't argue with that," Aris said, sliding his hands up her thighs and reaching around to caress the silky skin of her bottom.

She slapped at him absently, shaking her head and making her hair fall down to cover her breasts. "No, I mean with the roshna. We already discovered that it inhibits the body's production of regular endorphins, and I was working on a theory that the normal triggers of endorphin production would allow a roshna addict to delay their next dose."

Jenny looked down at him so expectantly, he hated to tell her he had no idea what she was talking about. "Sweetheart, most of the blood in my body isn't exactly going to my brain right now."

"Sex," she blurted. "Endorphins are 'happy hormones' and since we've been…you know… that's why you haven't needed any roshna yet."

Well, Aris supposed _that_ made sense.

Actually, he could use that fact to his advantage. "Then, being a nurse, it's in your best interest to keep me happy?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I should never have said anything."

"Make me happy, I'll make _you_ happy," Aris said slyly, taking her hand and placing it low on his stomach.

Jenny turned a spectacular shade of red at his next suggestion, and he finally got to see how far down her blush went.

  


_tbc…_


	15. </strong> Making Plans (and something else, besides)

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Making Plans (and something else, besides)  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC  
**Rating:** R  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** Tried as I might, I couldn't get them out of bed.

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 15:** Making Plans (and something else, besides)**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

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Jennifer opened her eyes in darkness, momentarily confused at the unfamiliar sensation of warm skin against hers. Memory returned in a rush that heated her cheeks slightly, and she sighed at feeling embarrassment even after all they'd been doing just hours ago; it seemed as if lying through his teeth wasn't the only skill Aris Boch had in overabundance.

She slid out from under the covers, careful not to wake the man who slept like the dead beside her. It only took her three tries to discover the proper door to the bath chamber, and the air was cold enough to make her immeasurably grateful for Aris' slumbering warmth when Jennifer climbed back into the bed with him. He mumbled something in his native language and threw a heavy arm across her stomach, pinning her to the mattress with a sleepy comment about how cold her feet were.

"Aris? Aris," she whispered, trying to shake him off. He simply nuzzled his face into her neck and fell asleep once more. "Great." Jennifer eased his arm lower so it rested more comfortably across her hips and relaxed against him, closing her eyes.

When she opened them again it was morning, and she was clinging to the edge of the bed trying not to fall off. Jennifer shook her tangled hair out of her eyes and sat up slowly to look down at her bed partner. Aris was sprawled out on his back, the light of the early morning sun touching his tanned skin and warming his coppery hair to a burnished glow. His impossibly long legs took up most of the mattress, leaving her to wonder just how she'd managed to stay off the floor… she liked his legs.

Well, she liked _all_ of him, Jennifer thought to herself with a proprietary smile and only the slightest blush. He looked like a big cat, sleeping in the sun without a care in the world. She reached out a hand and sifted her fingers through the hair dusting his powerful chest, traced the scars that marred the smooth, muscled skin of his stomach. A daring finger ran over his bare hip but Jennifer snatched her hand back immediately when he stirred in his sleep.

She waited until Aris relaxed, and then decided she would try her luck at exploring again. Jennifer glanced up at his face as she walked her fingers down his flank, flattening her palm against his skin and sliding her hand down and around to his inner thigh. Aris sighed something in his sleep, and her eyes widened in delight as his body began to react to her touch. Trailing her fingertips up the inside of his thigh, Jennifer bit her lip and looked up to check if he was still sleeping before caressing between his legs.

His soft grunt of pleasure made her smile and continue, his cock thickening as she stroked it slowly. Scooting down further, Jennifer leaned over to kiss her way down Aris' flat stomach and trace his cut lines with her tongue. Memories of him doing much the same to her the previous night made her body tighten, and Jennifer eased between Aris' thighs to take him into her mouth. She had a score to settle.

Aris groaned louder as she began to suck, grasping the base firmly and swirling her tongue around the glans before swallowing his erect length. His fingers slid into her hair, and Jennifer drew up and off him before looking up at the extremely appreciative – and wide-awake - bounty hunter. "Good morning."

She'd never really liked giving oral sex ever since she'd had a bad experience with her first boyfriend, but everything with Aris felt different – Jennifer dragged her tongue up his shaft, and Aris gasped out a laugh as she looked back into his eyes challengingly. "Good morning to you, too-_oooh…_"

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  
He could definitely get used to waking up like that, Aris thought to himself as he arched his back in a stretch. Jenny lay next to him, propped up on an elbow while her other hand traced patterns on his chest. "We should probably get out there," he said, working a hand under the blankets to pinch her.

She squealed and brought her hand down on top of the covers, preventing him from touching her. "Can't we just stay in here?"

Aris wiggled his fingers beneath the fabric barricade, which simply made her giggle again and scoot back. "What, forever?"

"Yes."

"You've got to show me something that'll make it worth my while to stay here forever with you," he threatened, trying to pull the blanket from her bare body.

Jenny giggled harder. "No way, you perve."

She clamped her hands down on the covers, pulling them up to her chin as if he hadn't seen every inch of her the previous day, night, and most of the current morning. Aris took in the laughter in her eyes, and the way her dark hair tumbled around her naked shoulders; she still acted shy with him in some ways, but now he knew exactly what emboldened her. "Perve?" he repeated, frowning. "What does that mean?"

"It's when you're…well, _weird_. In bed," Jenny clarified, her cheeks turning pink.

Aris rubbed at the scar on his chin, considering this statement. "You think I'm weird in bed."

Her eyes rounded in horror. "No! No, I didn't mean that, I was just kidding!"

"Because if it's weird you want, I can bring in some animals and-"

"A-_ris!_" Jenny shrieked, finally catching on to the fact that he was teasing her. She flung a pillow at him, causing the blankets to fall around her waist. Aris knocked it sideways and pounced, settling over her with a knee on either side of her chest.

Her eyes widened and she immediately tried to cover her breasts. "Don't do that," he scolded, moving her hands aside gently. She flushed again, and he watched her embarrassment stain her pale skin. "You have nothing to feel ashamed about," Aris said, running a finger down her sternum and entertaining thoughts of pressing her breasts together so that he could rub himself between them. Maybe she'd let him do it after he'd bedded her a few more times.

He shifted his hips, suddenly aware that he was fully hard and pressing against her stomach. Maybe she'd let him rub against _more_ than just the flesh between- Jenny brushed his hand away, forcing him to look up at her face. "Just _stop_," she demanded, still bright red.

"Why?"

"Because." She shamefacedly mumbled something about her previous lover thinking her breasts weren't large enough – large enough for what, exactly? - and Aris leaned down to interrupt her explanation with a kiss.

"Whose opinion matters to you most – his, or mine?" He stroked his thumbs over her nipples, making her squirm. "Because I think that you are perfect as you are." Grinning, he slipped a hand down to tickle her side. "You could accidentally smother me if they were larger, and we couldn't have that."

Jenny giggled and squirmed again so that she inadvertently rubbed up against his arousal. He sucked in a breath and let it out, laughing as a thought occurred to him. "Just imagine the death ceremony: "Aris Boch, cut down in his prime by a giant pair of-"

"Okay, stop it!" she laughed. "Get off me, I'm hungry."

Aris gestured to himself. "You're going to leave me like this?"

She wrinkled her nose at him. "Yup."

"But it'll only take a minute-" Aris stopped midsentence. "Let's both pretend I didn't just say that."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sarge paced back and forth, wondering what Dave was doing and if he was safe. She'd been waiting to talk to Aris for the past twelve hours, and was on the verge of simply barging into whatever bedroom he was in… if she could get anyone to tell her exactly where he was. She hadn't seen Jennifer, either, so she assumed the two were together somewhere. Aris had been trying to get into her pants since they day he'd met her, but if they'd run off while Dave and SG-1 were still being forced to work in those mines…

"You're gonna wear a hole in the floor," Cameron told her.

She turned towards him as he started coughing again, pressing a hand to his side. "Isn't that medicine working yet?" she asked angrily, stalking over to him and making him lean back against the pillows in his chair. "Just try to relax."

"Relax?" He covered his mouth with his other hand as another coughing fit wracked his lean frame. "How can I relax?"

"You're still pretty weak from the naquidah dust – you need to rest," Sarge informed him.

The red-haired scientist looked down at his lap. "Colonel Dixon should be here now, not me."

Sarge wished that he were, too, but immediately felt ashamed about thinking so. "It was his choice to stay behind; you know that." Dave had done what was best, protecting his teammates – her husband was always putting everyone else above himself. It was one of the qualities that had made her fall in love with him in the first place, but there were times when he needed to look out for himself.

Cameron nodded miserably, trying to stifle another cough when the door opened and Jenny rushed in with her medical kit. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting; I'm sorry," she apologized. Sarge watched as her friend checked Balinsky's vitals and questioned him about his recent diet, then gave him a shot of something and told him to go rest.

"So where _have_ you been? Somehow I don't think you've been rushing around playing nurse to everyone else," Sarge accused.

Jennifer's face reddened. "It's none of your business."

"It is when I'm trying to get our people out of those mines and you and that alien are too busy _screwing_-"

Sarge's head rocked back from Jennifer's slap, and her eyes widened in surprise at her friend's anger. "Stop thinking you know everything! You're as much an alien as he is, and you're both members of the same SG team – start acting like it!"

She tossed her head, feeling the blonde dreadlocks thump against her shoulders. "Have you forgotten how many people are still left on the other continent?"

Jenny glared right back at her. "No, I haven't. Have you forgotten that he didn't want any of us to come along in the first place? Or the fact that Aris hadn't slept in 48 hours because he was trying to keep everyone safe from that Goa'uld while he set up the shaft collapse?"

"As touching as this is, I can speak for myself." They both whirled to see Aris leaning against the doorframe. "Rose, if you'd like to come with me I'll tell you exactly how we'll get Dave, Carter, Jackson, and Teal'c out of there."

"You forgot Colonel O'Neill," Sarge reminded him.

"No, I didn't."

Jenny shot him a look. "Aris."

"Fine, he can come too," the bounty hunter sighed in defeat.

He led them to the same kitchen-area where Sarge had gone to find food for herself and Cameron, and settled into a chair with a clay mug of tea. Aris explained more about the 'accidental' mine collapses, rolling out a battered map to point out various entry and exit points that had been carefully concealed from Mon'biru and his Jaffa. Jennifer slipped into the seat beside him to listen as she ate her breakfast with an appetite that clearly indicated that she'd been doing more than just sleeping… she'd find out the details later.

Sarge turned her attention back to the map, asking more questions until she was somewhat satisfied with the big man's preparations. "I'll be returning in a few hours, so I can take a message back if you want," he offered, rolling the piece of film back up carefully.

"You're going back so soon?" Jenny blurted.

"I'm supposed to still be in those mines," Aris reminded her, then smiled for some reason. "I'm not happy about it either. You could say that I'm so depressed, I'll need a triple dose of roshna."

Jennifer rolled her eyes, and Sarge narrowed hers. "What're you talking about?"

He laughed and stood up to leave. "Nothing. If you need anything, I'll be down by the tel'tak." He glanced over at Jenny again. "Anything at _all_."

"Go away," she ordered, burying her face in her mug of water.

Sarge reached over to steal one of the berries on her friend's plate, feeling immeasurably more relaxed now that she knew exactly what was going to happen and when she could see Dave again. It was too bad that he never minded when she was the one to save him. "So," she began, looking over at the dark-haired nurse, "How was he?"

Jennifer promptly inhaled her water and Sarge had to pound on her back to keep her from choking.

_tbc…_


	16. </strong> One Step Closer to Revolution

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** One Step Closer to Revolution  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC  
**Rating:** R (violence)  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$  
**A/N:** It can't all be fun and games...

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 16:** One Step Closer to Revolution**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

__

Drawing an arm across his forehead to rub away the worst of the gunk that'd gotten stuck there when one of the mines had detonated and sprayed him with God-knew-what, Jack O'Neill squinted over to where he could see Carter and Daniel pressure-testing another patch of frozen dirt.

Behind them, shouts and the sound of running feet demonstrated that the Jaffa were still trying to get into the collapsed shafts of the naquidah mine and he glanced over at Dave. "Think they got away in time?"

His friend scowled at him. "What the hell?"

"Yeah, stupid question," Jack grunted, turning away to pick up his shovel again. "Hey, Carter! Find anything?"

The major turned back to him, scissoring her hands over her head in a wave that undoubtedly meant _yes_, so Jack left Dave to pick his way over to where Carter was. "We've got at least two of them less than a meter apart, so the detonation of one is bound to set them both off." She explained their plan to overturn one of the stone pillars in the hopes that the weight would trigger one if not both explosions and they all glanced over at Mon'biru's Jaffa, remembering the one who had threatened to start bringing some of the Ilempiri slaves to walk through the ruins if they didn't clear a sizable patch of ground by nightfall. "It shouldn't take that long, Sir."

"Let's hope not," Jack sighed.

Daniel squinted up at him. "How's it going over there?"

"Dave's still upset about not knowing what's happened to that violent wife of his," Jack said flippantly, widening his eyes at the disapproving looks from both Daniel and Carter. "Anybody seen Teal'c lately?"

"He was summoned by Mon'biru as soon as the body count was reported," Daniel said, pushing his glasses up with dirty fingers. Jack didn't know how he could still see out of lenses that grimy, but then again it wasn't as if his friend could wipe them off on his shirt – it was just as filthy. "Considering the coincidence that nearly all of SG-13 are 'dead,' it's not really a surprise."

"Yeah, well…" Jack trailed off as he caught sight of several people being herded across the frozen ground. "Carter?"

The major glanced over, and redoubled her efforts at digging at the dirt in front of the pillar they were going to use. "On it, Sir."

Dave tossed his shovel down and came over. "Shit, they're really going to try it?"

"Looks like," Jack said uneasily.

The Jaffa forced the group of shivering Ilempiri into a circle and were preparing to make them march forward into the minefield as Jack and Daniel protested against it. "What's going on here?" a voice interrupted coolly, and the Jaffa turned angrily towards the source of the disruption. "Why aren't these people in the mines where they belong?" Aris Boch continued, gesturing towards the huddled prisoners.

"This is none of your concern," one of the Jaffa barked, caressing his staff weapon pointedly.

Aris crossed his arms, leaning against one of the pillars that jutted from the ground. "Since the Almighty Mon'biru instructed me to oversee the productivity of our Tau'ri guests, here, I believe it _is_ my concern. Again I ask: why are these people here?"

The same Jaffa who had threatened SG-1 with using the local population as mine fodder stepped forward. "You are nothing but a slave, and-"

"And I'm the closest representative of Sokar you've got at the moment," Aris cut him off. "In case you haven't been paying attention, there's been a shaft collapse and close to thirty slaves have died. Thirty dead slaves means that Mon'biru transports thirty crates less per day, yet here you are taking even _more_ slave labor from the mines. Tell me how that's smart."

"Gonach, _ha'taaka_," the Jaffa snarled, thumbing the switch of his staff weapon and starting forward.

Aris calmly pulled his modified TER gun and shot him. "Take these people back to where you found them," he suggested, ignoring the multiple crackles of staff weapons opening to point at him. "Unless you'd like me to report each and every one of you to Sokar when I speak to him."

The Jaffa glared, clearly not wanting to obey someone who was clearly subordinate to the resident snake but also not wanting to chance being reported to the snake's leader, either. They also didn't seem to appreciate the smiles SG-1 was wearing. Jack had a feeling that a Jaffa or two would waylay the bounty hunter in the next few days but despite wanting to get his own whacks in, he had to admit the guy had style.

"We could use their help before they're taken back to the mines," Daniel spoke up suddenly. "That way they wouldn't have been brought out here for nothing."

"That's right," Carter put in. "If they could help us push that pillar over, it would save hours of digging."

Aris looked at the pillar, then back at their expectant faces before smiling. "No."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _

  
Aris left SG-1 spluttering about his refusal to let them have some help in doing a job he'd specifically told them they had to do themselves. He was more worried about the Jaffa he'd dropped with his gun, and reporting the incident to Mon'biru before any of the others got there first to put their own spin on it. Getting the group of his people back to the relative safety of the mines, he only stayed long enough to watch the Jaffa carrying off the unconscious body of their comrade before heading to Mon'biru's audience chamber.

Initially refused admittance by a pair of armed guards, Aris protested until one of the slaves from inside the old Council hall pulled the doors open and he saw the reason he'd been turned away.

Mon'biru's First Prime was torturing his sister.

Rage surged through him as Riah, held up by two of her fellow 'attendants', screamed in pain while the big Jaffa held a slender metal rod to her side. Aris had plenty of experience with how much it hurt, and the thought that it was being used on Riah… "My Lord," Aris interrupted, struggling not to let his anger show in his voice. "What is this?"

The Goa'uld looked straight at him as he lifted a finger to signal to his First Prime. The Jaffa pressed the pain rod against Riah's stomach, making her cry out again. "_This_ is your sister."

"And what has she done?" he protested, moving forward quickly.

"You dare to question your God?" Mon'biru hissed, raising his hand. When the Jaffa moved to shove the rod towards Riah once again, Aris intercepted it and gritted his teeth against the wave of agony spreading from the tip pressing against his shoulder.

As he'd hoped it would, the move made Mon'biru forget about tormenting Riah and focus his attention upon Aris. He endured several applications of the rod to his sides, chest, and stomach without screaming, locking his knees so that he wouldn't fall. Mon'biru, as always, took his refusal to make any noise beyond a groan as a challenge; he finally tired of the game after his First Prime pressed the rod against Aris' throat, which nearly caused it to swell shut.

"What was so important that it couldn't wait?" Mon'biru finally asked, studying his ribbon device in a bored fashion.

Aris managed to speak loud enough to deliver the report, knowing full well that the Goa'uld before him was enjoying his suffering. He expected that Mon'biru would make him stay and discuss the plans for the new shaft excavations, but knew enough to hide his relief when he was dismissed and told to take Riah with him. His sister was standing on her own, still trembling, and Aris guided her out before Mon'biru could change his mind and call both of them back.

Once the heavy doors had closed behind them, Aris ignored his own pain to lift Riah up into his arms and carry her to his quarters. She didn't start to cry until they were almost there, and pressed her face into his shoulder as she wept. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

It hurt too much to ask what had happened, so Aris waited until he'd laid her down on his bed to sit down beside her and spread his fingers to catch her attention. Riah rubbed a hand over her stomach, still crying as she blurted out the reason why she'd been singled out for torture in the first place. Despite the 'bargain' Aris had made with each of the Goa'uld overlords for Riah's safety, one of Mon'biru's Jaffa had wanted to lay claim to her – but she'd had the bad judgment to defend herself.

Aris had sufficient contact with the Jaffa in question to know that he wouldn't give up, either. Well, that was fine with him. He stroked his little sister's hair, thinking of something that would finally allow him to take Riah to safety. Not wanting to upset her further, Aris decided against trying to explain his plan to her and simply motioned for her to lie down on the bed.

"You're hurt worse," she objected. "You should."

Shaking his head at her, Aris gestured to the scars on his face in an indication that he'd been hurt worse. Riah protested once more, but gave in when he jabbed his finger towards the bed. He covered her with a blanket and sat watching her until she fell asleep – the moment her eyes closed, Aris reached for his gun and checked the setting before moving to one side of the door and unlocking it.

He rubbed at his throat cautiously, trying to ease the swollen tissue that made even breathing agonizing. With one eye on the door, Aris fumbled for the packet of roshna concealed in the neckpiece of his armor. He lifted the metal container of water with trembling hands, dumping in the bright blue liquid and drinking carefully. The burning in his muscles made him long to lie down, but Aris knew that he needed to remain alert enough to stop the man that would shortly be attempting to force Riah into surrendering favors she wasn't about to grant willingly.

Aris had just lifted his gun to double-check the settings when the doors began to swing inward. He raised his weapon, waiting for the Jaffa to walk forward into the room, and was surprised to find that there were two of them…one was clearly there to take revenge on Aris, as he recognized the second man to be the Jaffa he'd shot for intending to use several Ilempiri out as mine fodder.

Bracing his right arm against the wall, Aris reached his left hand over to retrieve one of the long knives he kept concealed under a ridge in his armor. One of the Jaffa, the one he'd shot earlier, turned to secure the doors and stiffened as he saw the bounty hunter. Aris flipped the knife up to catch it by the blade, and threw it as hard as he could; the blade buried itself into the Jaffa's throat as he let out a warning yell, and Aris shot the other man in the chest as he began to turn.

Riah had jerked awake at the shout and she was sitting up, wide-eyed, as Aris moved to stand over the Jaffa he'd stabbed. The man was barely alive, and he tried ineffectually to reach for his own knife – Aris bent to pluck it from the sheath and held it up, testing the serrated edge with his thumb before pulling his longer knife from the other man's throat and plunging the wider, serrated blade back into the wound. He watched calmly as the Jaffa died, then moved to crouch down over the other one still lying on his side.

Aris woke the man up so that he would know who was killing him, and shoved his knife up into one of the Jaffa's kidneys. "I need you to start stripping that one," he rasped, jerking his chin towards the other body.

Riah got off of the bed and came closer, looking down at Aris. "He's not dead yet." She reached down to take the knife handle from him, and twisted it vengefully. Aris rocked back on his heels and watched the way her chin trembled, angry tears sliding down her cheeks – she obviously hadn't told him everything that had happened to her while he'd been gone. He laid a hand between her shoulder blades as she waited for her tormentor to die, gathering her into his arms for comfort when Riah finally released the knife.

"You should have told me," she sniffled, wiping the back of her hand across her mouth when she pulled away.

"You needed to rest," Aris reminded her, wincing and touching his throat. "Can you clean up the blood for me?" He briefly outlined his plan and she nodded, limping over to find a towel to clean with. Reminding her to leave some of it around the first body, which he intended to abandon right where it was, Aris had her change her clothing while he disposed of the second corpse.

Aris ignored his own discomfort and stripped the armor off of the two bodies, examining the bloodstained rip in the metal rings– it wasn't large enough to draw any notice, and it was easily fixed. He wiped the blood off and unlatched his own armor to begin dressing in the heavy mesh, keeping an eye on Riah as she came out of the bathing room and looked down at the remaining body. "Is this what happened to the others who…?" she asked finally, not looking at him.

"Most of them, yes." Aris shoved his own armor and the bloodstained rags deep into the laundry cart, concealing them with one of the dark window coverings.

Riah shifted from foot to foot. "But doesn't _he_ know it was you?"

"He thinks whatever I want him to think. The Jaffa suspect me, but since I haven't given them any evidence…" he spread his hands. "I need to get you out of here. Will you come with me?"

Still staring down at the corpse, Riah nodded before looking up at him. "Yes."

"Then let's go." Aris stepped forward to wrap his fingers around her upper arm and led her to the door – after pushing his hair back from his forehead and fitting the steel helm over his head, he hauled Riah outside and past a few other Jaffa who'd clearly known about their comrade's plans and had come to see what 'luck' he was having. Aris turned his face away from them and pulled his sister along; she struggled convincingly enough that several of the Jaffa laughed and called out suggestions that made him grit his teeth and move faster to avoid the temptation of using the staff weapon clutched in his left hand.

He didn't slow upon hearing the commotion behind them, indicating that the corpse had been found; once they were outside and had circled around the windowless section of the building, Aris tucked Riah into his side and ran with her.

One of the Ilempiri that helped him transfer the slaves from the mines to the cave system, Laban, was working to level a patch of frozen ground behind the former council building. He saw them coming and immediately dumped the sod from his cart to make room for Riah. "Your _sister_, Eldest?" he asked incredulously as he took in the kin markings of Riah's hair.

"None can be allowed to find her, Laban," Aris warned, reaching out to clasp the other man's forearm in greeting. "I can't take her to Southern just yet – I need you to hide her for a few days."

Laban scratched at his collarbone, looking at both of them. "I don't know-"

"Put me with Sunil's crew," Riah interrupted. "Nobody will expect me to be there."

"That's because Sunil's crew is…" Aris sighed and shook his head. "It'll do. Wrap your chest and hide your hair; Laban will find you clothing. I'll come for you when I can." He kissed the top of her head in farewell and nodded at his friend. "Hide her well."

Making his way into the women's quarters unseen was still a skill that he possessed, and it was easy enough to persuade a few of them to retrieve his armor from the laundry bin in his quarters. He was tired enough not to protest when one of the women offered her bed to him and even though he felt a twinge of guilt at the thought that Jenny wouldn't like him sleeping in the bed of a woman he'd previously dallied with, Aris had to admit that it was a halfway decent alibi. The women would swear that he'd been there the whole time, and he could get some rest before having to pretend he knew nothing about his sister's 'abduction.'

After hiding the Jaffa armor, Aris climbed into the bed wearily and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillows. The last thing he was aware of was the sensation of arms sliding around his waist, and thinking that Jenny wouldn't like that at _all_.

_tbc…_

  



	17. </strong> The Beginning of Goodbye

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** The Beginning of Goodbye  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC  
**Rating:** R (brief naughtiness)  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 17:** The Beginning of Goodbye**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

________________________________________

__

They'd been on their own for days and no one at Southern had yet been given word of Aris' return. Having to hide her disappointment became automatic whenever she asked for news, so Jennifer tried to keep herself too busy to mind. The Ilempiri were a startlingly friendly people once they got over their initial standoffishness, and they seemed to regard Jennifer as one of them.

She figured that her bossy manner with Aris had much to do with their acceptance of her; Cameron and Rose had gotten a more muted reception, though the women and even a few of the men were showing signs of interest in the friendly red-headed scientist. It took time for _anyone_ to warm up to Sarge, especially when she was in the same bad mood she'd been in ever since they'd arrived on the planet.

Though still weak, Cameron was feeling well enough to accompany them out to one of the beaches and he waded through the cool water while Sarge and Jennifer swam out past the waves. Idly making plans for doing another round of checkups Jennifer floated on her back and closed her eyes, wishing Aris were there with her. It was frustrating that they'd taken their relationship to the next level right when they didn't have time to really _be_ with each other.

Opening her eyes to check on her position and to see where Sarge was, Jennifer began paddling back towards shore as she thought about Aris. She didn't know exactly when she'd fallen for the bounty hunter, and _really_ didn't know how to tell him. Jennifer wasn't even sure how he felt about her; despite Aris being an extremely lively 86 years old, she was still a quarter of his age. And she knew about his feelings of discomfort at never being able to father the children he figured she would want someday.

By the time she reached the towel she'd brought out with her, Jennifer had decided not to tell Aris how she felt about him. If he didn't feel the same way, which was more than likely, at least they had fun together…right? _Just don't think about it_, she advised herself, rubbing a hand over her suddenly upset stomach.

"You feeling okay?" Cameron touched her shoulder.

Jennifer nodded, rubbing her eyes. "Yeah, the water just irritates my eyes," she lied.

"That happens to me all the ti- hey, who's _that? _" her friend asked, eyes widening appreciatively as he looked back towards the path.

Glancing over to see what he was talking about Jennifer's eyes widened, too, as she recognized Aris' sister. "_Riah! _"

Riah Boch charged towards her, nearly knocking her down as she flung her arms around Jennifer. "It's good to see you," Riah laughed, embracing her so tightly she gasped for air. "Oh, forgive me."

"It's okay," Jennifer wheezed. "How did you _get_ here? I thought that you… well, that Mon'biru…"

Riah smiled. "Aris helped get me out of there. He found a way to fool Mon'biru once again - everyone thinks that I was taken by one of his Jaffa," she said proudly. "They will be talking for years about how my brother made such a fool out of a Goa'uld."

Sarge came up to be introduced, but took off for the main settlement as soon as Riah mentioned that Dave had come with her. Despite the fact that she was itching to run after Rose, Jennifer made herself stay right where she was. "So did Aris bring you, or…?"

"It took you this long to ask? Elder brother must be losing his touch," Riah grinned.

"I didn't miss you at all," Jennifer informed her, then turned to see what her friend was looking at as Riah's gaze drifted past her face. "Oh, I'm sorry – this is Cameron Balinsky, from SG-13. Cameron, this is Riah; Aris' sister."

Cameron's face was nearly as red as his hair. "N-nice to m-meet you," he stammered, wrapping his arms around his chest in embarrassment.

Riah smiled slyly, and it put Jennifer in mind of what had happened when she'd first met Aris. She wondered if she should warn Cameron that attitude seemed to run in the family. "Yes… it _is_, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"Riah," Jennifer warned.

"I like your hair" Riah winked at Cameron "it matches your face. You should probably go greet Aris, but be warned that Mon'biru wasn't pleased with him."

Jennifer frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see," was all Riah would tell her before sauntering over to flirt with SG-13's archaeologist.

Gathering her things together Jennifer headed back towards the settlement at a half-run, Riah's warning foremost in her mind. If a Goa'uld wasn't pleased with someone, they tended to use violence to show their displeasure. Dumping her clothing in the room she slept in, she only paused long enough to slip a light robe around her shoulders before charging off to find Aris.

She found him standing on a makeshift platform of weapon crates, surrounded by what seemed like the entire population of Southern as he spoke to them in their native language. By the way he spoke and how the other Ilempiri responded to him, it was clear he was rousing them for the impending fight to take back control of their planet. She'd never seen Aris so impassioned about anything (well, apart from _that_) and Jennifer leaned against a support pillar as she watched him speak.

_ _ _ _ _ _

  
"We will rid ourselves of those who took what was not theirs," Aris said, gesturing to the ground beneath and to the sky above. "We will not ask for help doing what we can do alone – what we _must_ do alone. Let us show the Goa'uld what will happen to them on the worlds they have enslaved – let us show them that the people of Ilempir will be passive no longer. We will be our own masters and mistresses; we – will – be - _free! _"

The resultant cheer was thunderous, and Aris took heart from it even as he looked around wondering which of his people would fall to the Jaffa. He caught sight of little Jenny leaning against a column watching him and quickly averted his eyes from her, careful to keep speaking in his language so that she wouldn't understand him as he asked for volunteers to take both SG teams to the gate.

Aris tried not to show how much it hurt him as he stepped down from the crates he'd made his speech on, and kept the smile on his face as almost everyone present gave him an encouraging slap on the back or one of his shoulders.

After he'd spoken to each personally, he moved stiffly over to where Jenny was waiting for him with a look on her face that spelled out trouble. "Come with me," she ordered when he opened his mouth to defend himself. Against what, he wasn't sure yet, but it seemed like the thing to do with her glaring at him like that.

She led him to the quarters they were apparently sharing now, and started digging through her medical kit as she commanded him to remove his clothing. "I missed you too," he snorted.

"Stop turning everything into a joke," Jenny snapped, still not looking at him. "Get your clothes off."

"Since you asked so nicely…" Aris suppressed a grunt as he tried to pull his tunic over his head, and she quickly came over to help him.

Jennifer's mouth tightened as she got her first look at the bruises decorating his chest, and she brushed his hands away from the laces of his trousers. "Let me." She drew them down his legs and he obediently stepped out of them when she tapped on his shins. "What did this?" Jenny asked, touching a welt on the inside of his thigh. He told her that he couldn't remember and she nodded briskly as she examined the wound. "Riah says you fooled the Jaffa into thinking that you were one of them. Do I want to know what happened?"

"I took care of it," he said, looking down at the top of Jenny's head as she examined him. Her fingers were gentle on his body as she probed for any broken bones, but even so he winced when her hands moved across his ribs. "Careful."

"Sorry… take a deep breath? Tell me if this hurts."

"Not really." She pressed harder. "N_yahhhhaaaa,_" Aris confirmed. Jenny made him stand there while she dug in her kit, and he shifted from foot to foot. "So where _is_ my dear sister?"

Jenny came back over to wrap a bandage around his ribs and rub something that smelled strange into his bruises. "I think she's trying to seduce poor Cameron."

"'Poor' is right. He'll never be the same," Aris joked. "Can I have a kiss now, please, Nurse Taylor?"

She stood on her toes and slid her arms around his neck carefully. "Since you asked so nicely." Her lips were soft against his, and the feel of her body touching him caused a reaction she could hardly fail to notice. "Aris," she sighed at him.

"Sorry."

"Well, I suppose that we _both_ could use a bath," she allowed, giving him another kiss. "But I don't think that you can walk around like that." Jenny blushed as she glanced down between them. "Maybe I could help you."

Her fingertips brushed past his hip. "I'd like that," he grinned. "Do you want to sit down, or…?"

"Here is, um, fine." She blushed harder and, to his delight, dropped to her knees and did things with her tongue that had to be illegal somewhere.

Warmth radiated through his body, suppressing the ache of his injuries as she pleasured him with her mouth and hands, occasionally rubbing the palms of her hands up his stomach and kneading his thighs possessively. He came with a babble of Ilempiri love-words she wouldn't understand, and Jenny wiped her hand across her mouth as she stood up.

By the time they went to bathe together he was more than willing to return the favor she'd granted him and they made love in the water before washing each other. Aris leaned his head back on the rough stone surrounding the bathing pool, enjoying the heat of the water as well as the woman in his arms. "I missed you," she murmured against his neck.

"Missed you too," he replied automatically, rubbing his hand up and down her side. "I'm glad that you were safe here, though."

She stilled against him. "What happened? The truth, please."

He didn't wish to distress her by admitting that their time together had been purchased at the price of Riah's abuse at the hands of the Jaffa they'd killed, so he told her an abbreviated version of events. "Mon'biru thinks I'm offworld capturing a runaway slave of Sokar's," he finished. "He doesn't expect me to return for another week, since I already told him that I intended to hunt down the Jaffa responsible for kidnapping my sister before I came back to report to him. He doesn't know that he'll be dead in less than four days."

"So you're going to get SG-1 released so that we can help," Jenny mused, and he didn't correct her.

They left to return to their bedchamber since she was intent upon putting more foul-smelling unguents on his cuts and bruises, and encountered Riah leading a somewhat dazed-looking Cameron Balinsky to her own quarters.

"Riah, leave the man alone," Aris teased, unable to help himself. "You'll frighten him so badly, he'll want to become a eunuch and hide in Moloc's temple among the female Jaffa warriors."

Riah gave him a maliciously gleeful look. "You mean, like _you_ hid in the women's quarters back at Northern? Oh, you didn't tell Jenny about sleeping in the same bed as one of the-"

Jenny stiffened. "No, he didn't say anything about that."

"They're still talking about _that_ in the mines, too," Riah said triumphantly.

"I should have left you there," Aris groaned, rubbing a hand across his eyes.

  
_tbc_

  
____________________________________________


	18. </strong> Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[a fair trade](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/a%20fair%20trade), [aris boch](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris%20boch), [aris/ofc](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/aris/ofc), [fic](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [stargate:sg1](http://midnightatnoon.livejournal.com/tag/stargate:sg1)  
  
  
---|---  
  
**Series:** A Fair Trade  
**Title:** Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind  
**Author:** [](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladytalon1**](http://ladytalon1.livejournal.com/)  
**Fandom:** Stargate: SG-1  
**Pairing/Characters:** Aris Boch/OFC, SG-13, SG-1  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not making any $$

  


_   
****A Fair Trade 18:** Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind**   
_

[   
  
](http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i241/Ladytalon1/?action=view&current=jenxariscopy.png)

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Dave stroked his fingers down his wife's back, smiling as Rose snuggled closer to him under the blanket. "What do you think the kids are doing right now?" he asked softly.

"Probably getting your mother to make them cookies for breakfast," Sarge said, a smile in her voice. "We'll see them soon."

Dave sat up as his stomach rumbled loudly enough to make Sarge laugh at him. "It'll be good to go home and spend time with the little rugrats," he said, watching Rose pull her clothes on and pursing his lips in a mute whistle of appreciation when she looked up at him. It was her turn to ogle shamelessly when he tried to find his own clothes, only to discover that she was sitting on them, and after chasing her around the room he caught her and hauled the giggling, struggling blonde over to the bed again.

When they finally emerged for the morning meal, Dave caught sight of Aris leaning against the railing overlooking the courtyard watching several Ilempiri were rushing back and forth from the beat-up tel'tak. Sarge left to find their teammates, and Dave made his way over to his friend. "Hey." Aris glanced at him briefly, lifting his chin in greeting before returning his gaze to the people below. "Rose has been telling me interesting things about you and Sergeant Taylor."

"Has she."

He snorted. "Oh, please – since when did you stop kissing and telling?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Aris said innocently. "I imagine you'll be relieved to know that we'll be liberating SG-1 tomorrow and sending all of you back to Earth."

"_All_ of us?"

"All of you," Aris confirmed. "Though I'm hoping you'll agree to take my sister with you."

Dave folded his arms across his chest and leaned on the railing, looking down to see Sarge and Jennifer walk across the courtyard accompanied by another woman who could only be Aris' younger sister. "If she wants to go, she's welcome to come with us… but what about Taylor?"

"What about her?" Aris asked evasively.

"You love her, don't you?" Aris gave him a look that clearly warned him to choose a different topic, and Dave grinned. "Thought so. She won't be happy that you're packing her off to Earth. Why don't you just get married?"

Aris looked at him as if he'd grown a third eye. "Because she hasn't asked me yet."

Dave started to laugh. "That's typical that you-" he broke off at the offended look on his friend's face. "…you're _serious_? The _women_ ask the men here?"

"This isn't Earth," Aris huffed.

Grinning delightedly at _finally_ having something to hang over the other man's head, Dave clapped Aris on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm sure at this very moment the good Sergeant is busily planning her proposal-"

"We're not discussing this," his friend interrupted. "Go eat something and get out of my face."

  


_ _ _ _ _ _

"He cares for you," Riah observed, nudging her and glancing up to where Aris could be seen looking down at them.

Jennifer smiled as their eyes met, causing Aris to smile back at her before he pushed off of the railing and disappeared from view. "Maybe he does," she said, looking away.

"_Maybe?_" Riah mocked.

She opened her mouth to share some embarrassing story or other with Sarge when Colonel Dixon rounded the corner at a dead run, looking up to the balcony where Aris had been standing. "He's gone, right?"

"What's going on?" Sarge demanded, drawing her sidearm and going into combat mode. "Are we under attack?"

"No, but I know someone who's going to wish we were," Dave hooted. "Get this; here the women ask the _men_ to marry them!"

Sarge gave him a glare when he was plainly about to say something else, and he subsided with a disgruntled sigh. Jennifer watched suspiciously as Riah scrambled over to make Dave whisper something into her ear before letting out a shriek that had everyone else around them turning to look. "I knew it!" she howled enthusiastically.

"You knew what?" Jennifer asked, narrowing her eyes. "What did he say?"

Riah grinned. "Oh, nothing much. Don't worry about it."

Aris appeared briefly to glare at everyone except for her, then left to oversee something or other while they gathered up their equipment in readiness for the following day's 'raid' on the northern continent.

Jennifer firmly put Dave's teasing out of her mind, not even wanting to speculate on what he _really_ meant, and went through her medical kit for the tenth time to check that she had what she would need to treat SG-1 and whoever else would wind up needing medical attention. She had a nagging feeling that Aris intended to send her through the gate along with everyone else once they freed Colonel O'Neill's team, but figured that it was something she would have to discuss with him. Well, whenever she finally caught up with Aris, who seemed to be everywhere at once.

The opportunity to talk to Aris finally came around midday, when Jennifer found him fiddling with the insides of a control panel in the tel'tak. "Hey. Got a minute?"

He glanced up at her, then back at the wires in his hands. "Not exactly."

"Too bad," she informed him, coming over to stand in front of the opened panel. "I hope you don't think that I'm going to let you shove me through the gate tomorrow like I'm a sack of potatoes."

"And I hope that _you_ don't think staying here is an option," Aris scowled. "Don't argue with me about this, Jenny."

She could feel her face turning red. "It's not your _choice_, Aris."

"This isn't your fight," he said, tapping his fingertips against his thigh. "And whatever potatoes are, I'll assume they belong on Earth as much as you do. You're going."

_We'll see about that_. "Fine," Jennifer said sweetly, changing tactics. "You win."

Aris' eyebrows arched. "What?"

"I said, you win."

"You'll go back tomorrow without a fight?" the bounty hunter asked suspiciously.

Jennifer lifted the first two fingers of her right hand in the traditional 'I swear' gesture. "I promise that by tomorrow evening, I'll be telling Janet all about what an ass you are. Is that a good enough promise?"

"I suppose so," Aris sighed when he reached for her and she shook her head at him.

_ _ _ _ _

He guessed that he deserved Jenny not even wanting to spend the night with him one last time, but Aris knew it was for the best. He wished that there had been an easier way to end things between them – he'd never had problems terminating any relationship, whether it was for a month, week, or even a day… but when it had come down to it, he hadn't been able to sit down and talk with her. _And now look what's happened, you idiot._

Aris glared at his reflection in the chipped mirror as he reached for the container of black grease paint that he and every other Ilempiri would be applying today. He should have told her that he loved her, and he wanted her to stay… because he did, very much so, and on both counts. It was selfish of him to want Jenny here with him when he knew she might get hurt or even killed.

He placed the lid of the container on the table in front of him and, dipping a finger in the thick black mess, began to carefully spread it from ear to ear in a broad stripe around his eyes. Riah watched him from where she was laying out their father's hunting armor and weapons, coming over silently to help him rub the paint into the short hair just above his ears. At least _she_ had acceded to his request that she go with the SG teams back to Earth, though he suspected that it was more due to Cameron Balinsky's pleas rather than his. "You'll like Earth," he told her. "Just wait a few days before trying out any of the access hatches on that map of the SGC I gave to you."

Riah wiped the last of the paint over his scarred eyebrow. "Do you love her?"

Aris didn't need to ask who his sister meant. "That doesn't matter anymore, now does it?"

"I don't see why not, you stupid old goat." She helped him slide on the black metal chest-plate and had him lift his arms so that she could fasten the straps that held it on. "Father and Mother would beat you halfway to Northern for the way you dealt with things yesterday, and you know it."

"Thanks," he said wryly.

She leaned over his shoulder and kissed his cheek. "And I would beat you the _rest_ of the way, Elder Brother."

After chasing her out of the room, Aris finished dressing and swung a cloak over his shoulders. A brace of throwing knives were tied around his left thigh, and his modified TER gun slid into its place on his right leg. More weapons were tucked into his father's armor; it made for a closer fit than the armor he'd pieced together for himself and was slightly heavier, but he couldn't imagine wearing anything else.

Aris smoothed the trinium mesh and picked up a tall staff that had been hidden for more than fifty years; the only ceremonial staff of office that had survived the Goa'uld occupation. The last time it had been in use, his father had been conducting a resistance meeting before willingly accompanying Aris to his own death. After spinning it experimentally – it would do just fine as a weapon – he walked out to where the others were waiting.

The square was covered with Ilempiri already wearing their armor, and several more in partial battle-dress. The coordination efforts had lasted until the early hours of the morning so each group leader should have known what they were to do, but Aris took the time to speak with each of them regardless. He still didn't see Jenny anywhere, but didn't ask when it came time to gather SG-13 for the trip back to Northern; Riah had already mentioned that they'd be traveling with the other groups on the al'kesh.

Aris was compared to something called a 'rack loon' (the names Earthlings had for animals!) as he walked up to Rose, Dave, and Cameron. He pretended to take offense for old times' sake as he jerked his chin towards the tel'tak they would be flying in. "Get in there and shut up." Cameron immediately scuttled in, taking him seriously, but Rose just shook her head at him.

"Not too late to change your mind," Dave reminded him, holding up his hands and going inside when Aris gave him an unfriendly look.

Cameron came to sit in the co-pilot's seat, watching him place his hands over the controls and urging the ship up into the air. "I'll take care of your sister," he blurted out.

Aris glanced over at him. "No, you'll _try_ and she'll let you for a while. When you think everything's under control, you'll suddenly realize that you're not the one who has control over it."

"Oh," his friend said, scratching behind an ear worriedly.

"Just be good to her…even if that seems hard to do sometimes. She's a real pain in the ass," Aris explained. "Compared to her, I'm sweetness and light."

Cameron thought about that for a while. "That bad, huh?"

Aris smiled. "You have no idea."

The other man scratched his ear again. "Oh."

Freeing SG-1 turned out to be disappointingly easy. Bored with maintaining a watch on three Tau'ri who showed a tendency for spraying mud in the air (that subsequently ended up on whoever was guarding them) when they detonated the mines they dug up, the Jaffa had only left three guards on duty.

O'Neill wasn't half as appreciative as he should have been, but that might have something to do with the fact that the minefield they'd been clearing was nothing but a mud pit after a recent storm. Carter gave him the evil eye as she went past him into the tel'tak and Jackson was easily diverted by the sight of Cameron waving a piece of tile he'd brought from Southern. "Doctor Jackson, you _have_ to see this – the inscription alone is…"

Aris stopped listening and went to nudge the fallen Jaffa with the toe of his boot, making sure they were dead by shoving a knife into their symbiote pouches and listening for the tell-tale screech that Goa'uld made when they died. "Holy-" he heard O'Neill yelp when he slid the knife out of one Jaffa with a still-writhing symbiote spitted on it. Aris watched dispassionately as it died, then he flipped it off the knife into the mud.

He stooped to wipe the blade clean and return it to its sheath before looking back up at O'Neill. "Ready to leave?"

"Well, we're sure not sticking around to have Goa'uld kabobs over a fire." The other man glanced over at where Aris had thrown the symbiote. "Prefer marshmallows, myself."

Aris tuned out the sound of the reunion as he piloted the ship to the stargate, careful to keep the cloak turned on. Once again, what he sought wasn't closely guarded; Mon'biru had grown accustomed to Ilempir's security and the fact that the only ones to come and go through the gate were Sokar's and his own Jaffa.

The al'kesh carrying the first shipment of warriors had already delivered its cargo and gone back to the other continent to retrieve the others, and Aris waited to land until a handful of Ilempiri, along with Teal'c, had taken out the Jaffa standing guard by the dialing device. "I'm not dropping the cloak; no need for them to realize we have one of their ships," he explained when Cameron looked at him questioningly. "Get your hoods over your faces, and let's go. Once they see the gate being dialed, more will come to investigate and we don't have much time."

He joined the small group who had secured the stargate and helped them remove the bodies of the Jaffa while both SG teams went for the DHD. Riah came to stand beside him and Aris swung his head over to watch another small, hooded figure walk over to Sarge without even looking at him. _Well, if that's the way she wants it._ Behind them the gate groaned to life as someone started to dial, and his sister placed her fingers over his white-knuckled grip on the staff. "Stay safe, Aris."

"And you," was all he could say as the wormhole opened.

Riah threw her arms around his middle in a fierce hug that nearly knocked him off-balance, muttering something before releasing him and turning to run over to the others. SG-1 went through first, and he lifted a hand in farewell when his friends looked back at him before they stepped through. Jennifer didn't look at all.

The gate closed with a _whoosh_ and his fingers dug into the staff once more as he barked orders. "Get the ropes and tie them at the base of the Ring." Aris knelt beside the DHD and pried the access panel loose, removing a handful of the operating crystals and grinding them into splinters under the heel of his boot. Within minutes, the gate was pulled from its anchor and any possible source of reinforcements was effectively cut off – without the crystals the gate couldn't be dialed planetside and without the gate in a viable location, the final chevron wouldn't lock when a dial-in was being attempted.

He placed another 'upgraded' cloaking device on the gate and activated it before ordering everyone back into hiding when the look-outs sounded the alarm that Jaffa were coming to investigate. Aris hurried back on board the tel'tak followed by the men and women who had tied the ropes to the gate, and he urged the ship upward with its cloaked burden. He laughed at the sight of the confused Jaffa milling about wondering what had happened to the chappa'ai, and the others laughed with him.

One of the laughs sounded very familiar, and Aris suddenly remembered what it was that Riah had mumbled at him before leaving. "_Take care of her,_" his sister had said.

That could only mean…

Aris turned to find Sergeant Jennifer Taylor, in full Ilempiri battledress and paint, smiling at him hesitantly. "Hi."

Oh, no.

  


  
_tbc_

  
____________________________________________


	19. 19: This is How a Heart Breaks

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She knew Aris was going to be annoyed with her for staying behind, but Jennifer hadn't really anticipated him getting truly _angry_. In his battle paint and armor, he was a far cry from the good-natured bounty hunter she'd come to love and despite herself she shrank back away from him as he came towards her.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Aris asked softly. His fingers were gripping the staff so hard, she wouldn't have been surprised if he broke it in half.

Jennifer scooted back another few inches until her back hit the surface of an escape pod. "Someone has to keep an eye on you," she said weakly as he leaned closer.

His eyes looked like they could shoot fire from them. "Who went through the gate with my sister?" he breathed. "Did she help you with this?"

"Don't you try to blame your sister! It was my idea," Jennifer said, putting a hand up and trying to push Aris back away from her. She would've had better luck moving a wall. "Now back up; you're squishing me."

Aris glowered down at her before shifting backward slightly. "Who. Went. _Through_."

"One of Mon'biru's personal slaves," Jennifer said uncomfortably, trying to wriggle her way out of the corner she'd backed into. "She deserves freedom, after all he's done to her."

His hand rose to rub at his scarred eyebrow. "A personal slave. You freed one of his personal slaves. No, he won't notice _that_ right away."

Oh. "We didn't think that-"

"You didn't think at all," Aris snarled at her.

"Well, neither did you when you tried to send me back to Earth without even considering the fact that I might want to stay with you," she flared.

Aris threw up his hands in disgust. "You're here now, and I wish you the joy of it. Neira, make sure she stays out of the way; we don't have any more time to waste."

As he turned away from her, a tall woman with white-blonde hair and a russet colored kin stripe stepped forward and inclined her head. "Eldest." Turning cool blue eyes upon Jennifer, Neira raised an eyebrow. "Can you at least defend yourself, child?"

Child? Jennifer glared over the woman's shoulder at Aris' broad back. "I didn't earn the rank of Sergeant by hiding under the bed with my thumb in my mouth."

Neira sniffed. "As you say."

_I **do** say, you haughty_… "I'm so glad we understand each other," she replied sweetly, watching out of the corner of her eye as Aris' shoulders twitched slightly from where he was supposedly not paying any attention to her. Jennifer proceeded to innocently offer Neira a vaccination against a particularly virulent strain of STD she'd discovered that many of the 'palace' slaves had contracted from Mon'biru's Jaffa.

Neira's eyes narrowed to slits at the implied slur before the other woman's lips unwillingly twitched into a smile. "I see your association with Elder Boch has taught you to grow a great deal bolder than you were when you were first presented to the Goa'uld."

"I learned in self defense," Jennifer agreed casually.

She'd half expected them to let out some sort of collective roar as they gathered on the slopes surrounding what used to be the Ilempiri seat of power, but nothing like that happened at all. Jennifer glanced around at the men and women around her and her eyes went to find where Aris stood staring down at the encampment, the wind whipping his cloak about his legs. As she watched, he reached a hand up to untie the heavy fabric, letting it fall in a puddle around his boots.

The rest of them immediately shifted their weapons in readiness and dropped to a crouch as Aris lifted the staff into the air – when it was lowered, they all surged forward down the slope with Aris in the lead. Jennifer temporarily lost sight of her lover as the rough uneven terrain demanded her attention – Neira hooked a hand underneath her arm to keep her from falling. At the foot of the slope, several Ilempiri peeled away from the group to warn those who didn't make up the main attacking force, and Jennifer could see a few Jaffa emerging from the buildings into the predawn light.

Running hard, Aris reached them as their faces registered belated recognition that they were under attack and, reaching the end of the scorched platform that had once been the foundation for one of the buildings destroyed in the initial Goa'uld occupation, he launched himself into the air at the Jaffa. His staff came down across the side of the first one's head and the knife in his other hand slammed into the chest of the other Jaffa, killing them before they had a chance to cry out an alarm.

The Ilempiri swarmed into the encampment, dividing up to go into various outbuildings, and Jennifer glanced over at Neira as they ran. The other woman's teeth were bared in a grin that was devoid of anything resembling humor. "I'm to keep you clear of the main fighting," she said breathlessly. "And if you try to get away and go up ahead, I'm to knock you over the head and carry you back to the caves."

"I can look after myself," Jennifer replied, tugging on the other woman's arm as a group of Jaffa ran out into the clearing with staff weapons. The blast from one of them barely missed Neira and they ran for cover as the night came alive with explosions from the landmines Aris had redistributed from SG-1's labors. Jennifer raised her P-90, thankful that she'd thought to hide hers in the cave system, and took aim at a Jaffa who was roaring out orders to kill any Ilempiri in sight.

_ _ _ _ _ _

 

The time for passive resistance was long over, and Aris planned to make Mon'biru - and the Jaffa who'd enslaved his people – pay several times over for the crimes they'd committed. He'd always planned with care, mindful of the delicate balance he had to maintain when dealing with his planet's overlords, but now that this final plan had been implemented he could finally wreak vengeance upon those who deserved it.

Jennifer was forgotten entirely as he ran forward, no thought left in his head but revenge. Three men dropped to his blaster, and another fell senseless to the ground at a blow from Aris' staff. A pause to finish him off with a quick down thrust of a knife, then he moved to engage another group of Jaffa. These were confused and groggy from being woken from sleep and their formation was sloppy – Aris killed two with thrown knives before they had time to bring their weapons to bear.

He could hear the cries of other Jaffa overwhelmed by the attacking Ilempiri 'army' but so far the noise wasn't sufficient to rouse the entire garrison. Their own silence served his people well, since it would be hard for the Goa'uld to believe that slaves would rise against them without shouts of anger.

Aris lost count of the Jaffa he killed on his way to the central buildings. The alarm had finally been given so that enemy soldiers spilled out of doorways, and the fighting had spread as far as the eye could see. He flattened himself against a nearby wall as the energy blast from a staff weapon took chunks out of the masonry, thumbed the switch of one of the incendiary devices he'd made, and threw it up ahead. The explosion and resulting cries of pain drew him back along the path to take advantage of the cover that the debris cloud provided.

The Jaffa response to their uprising was becoming increasingly organized as Mon'biru's First Prime took control of the troops in the encampment. Aris signaled to another Ilempiri, and they swept around the hastily arranged blockade to lure the soldiers into the areas where they'd rigged mines. When a good portion of the men took the bait and followed, Aris slipped back and headed for where the First Prime should be.

After relieving a Jaffa of his armor and disposing of the body, Aris walked quickly and kept his head down in case any of the others noticed the black greasepaint surrounding his eyes. One of them barked a command at him, thinking that he was fleeing the battle and he lifted his purloined staff weapon to mime that it wasn't functional, carefully keeping his staff tucked against it so it wouldn't be visible..

Aris had managed to rid Mon'biru of several of the Jaffa he'd chosen as First Prime over the years, and it was almost disappointingly easy to dispatch the current one. The bounty hunter looked down into the other man's face and watched the skin around the gold tattoo turn purple as he leaned on the staff with which he'd crushed the Jaffa's windpipe.

Satisfied that the First Prime wouldn't be raising any kind of alarm, Aris picked his way through the bodies and checked over his staff weapon after discarding the extra armor. The southern side of the buildings seemed to be reasonably clear – the dead bodies of Ilempiri littered the ruined street, all of them unarmed, only added further fuel to his anger. Aris vaulted over an abandoned naquidah cart, thumbing the switch on the staff weapon in his left hand and hefting his original staff in his right hand.

He and a small group of Jaffa surprised each other in back of the old Council building. A staff weapon blast took him in the shoulder, spinning him around and knocking him onto his back. Thankful of the trinium plates he'd slipped into his clothes, Aris rolled to avoid another energy blast and came up firing his own TER gun while scrambling for cover. They traded fire and Aris picked off two of them before rushing the remaining five. Too close to use their staff weapons, the others tried to stop him from going past with zat'nik'tels, whose energy discharge stung his wounds - he snarled with rage at being blocked from his ultimate goal, the 'audience hall' where Mon'biru kept quarters.

One of them broke and ran for reinforcements as Aris was shoved to the scarred marble courtyard, overpowered. He struggled upright, ramming his elbow into the face of one of the men and hissing as a knife slashed into the back of his thigh where no armor protected him. The butt of a staff weapon smashing into the side of his head knocked him to his knees, and pain exploded through his body as the blows began to rain down.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

"They have him."

Jennifer's hands stilled on her gun. "What?"

Neira sank down into a crouch, looking over at her. "It happened about an hour ago – Taare and Weln just brought in a witness."

She felt her stomach lurch. "There has to be something we can do, we have to get him back," Jennifer said faintly, scrubbing her icy hands over her thighs. "We have to get him out of there."

The other woman shook her head. "There's no way."

"But-"

"At last count, Mon'biru had twenty Jaffa guarding him. Aris isn't going anywhere." Neira looked down, and Jennifer took a deep breath as she continued. "His execution is scheduled for dawn."

"We have to go-"

"You can't help him now. None of us can."

"I have to _try_," Jennifer hissed, angrily scrubbing at her eyes. If she gave into tears now, she'd be worse than useless. "They'll torture him, Neira. They'll make him suffer."

Neira looked away. "They are already doing so. We will leave as soon as you are read. We cannot free him in the way that you intend. But we can free him."

_A mercy killing_, Jennifer thought. She'd never had to do anything like that, and tried not to think about the possibility of having to do so for Aris. There _had_ to be another way. She couldn't afford to think of killing the man she loved as even an option. "Let's go."

They arrived in the rubble-strewn courtyard of the Council Hall to find that most of the other Ilempiri dissidents had been rounded up there as well, and Jennifer tried in vain to find a way past the Jaffa encircling them. She fought back the rising hysteria as the sky grew progressively lighter, and Jennifer could barely feel it when Neira took her into her arms as the Hall doors opened. All she could see was Aris, forced out onto the steps by three Jaffa. His head was held high despite the fact that his torn clothing was covered in the dark yellow of his dried blood, and his exposed skin was differing shades of orange from bruises.

Mon'biru appeared next and began to speak while the Jaffa beat their staff weapons into the ground, chanting his name. Jennifer was beyond hearing anything the monster had to say. On the steps, Aris looked out at them and when his eyes found hers and widened in alarm, she struggled in Neira's grip, which had grown progressively tighter.

Jennifer lurched within the circle of the other woman's arms, nearly blinded by tears. "No. Oh, no. _Aris_…" she screamed and fought as the Jaffa closed in on her lover, unable to do a thing as he was brutally beaten before her.

"Behold your savior," the Goa'uld sneered after Aris was left lying in a bloody heap on the steps, stirring weakly. "For this, you would rise up against your Lord?" He gestured to the Jaffa, and they pulled Aris to his feet roughly. "For this, you turn your face from me?" He reached out with his left hand and dug the metal fingertips of the ribbon device into Aris' face, barely missing his right eye. "For this, you shall pay."

Pressing the ribbon device's palm crystal into the big man's temple, Mon'biru looked out at his stunned and weeping audience. "Say goodbye to your leader." Jennifer felt her heart stop. The crystal began to charge with a low whine and the look of gloating triumph on the Goa'uld's face disappeared as Aris, determined as ever to have the last word, began to laugh.

Mon'biru loosed a sound of unarticulated fury and sent the full force of the hand device's power into the side of Aris' head. The bounty hunter's laughter cut off as he slumped to the ground, dead. "Get this out of my sight," Mon'biru barked at the Jaffa, giving the corpse a contemptuous nudge with his foot. "Use it for target practice."

Jennifer heard someone calling her name from a distance, but didn't take her eyes from Aris. She couldn't have moved even if she'd wanted to. Somehow, she'd thought that he would get free – it couldn't have been all for nothing, could it?

She could see blood slowly dripping from his fingertips from where the rope used to bind his wrists had torn the skin.

Her head rocked back with the force of Neira's slap. "_Jennifer! _ We have to go. They're starting to gather anyone with face paint."

Jennifer turned uncomprehending eyes to her, then looked back at the steps. One of the Jaffa had crouched down to loop a piece of rope around one of Aris' boots, clearly intending to drag his body somewhere. "I never got to say goodbye."

"Come on – I need to get you out of here," Neira said fiercely.

More tears slid down her face. "I didn't - I never told him-"

"He knew. Now, let's _go_."

Neira half-shoved, half-carried her inside one of the buildings and left her in a richly furnished room that had probably been where Mon'biru had kept some of his personal slaves. Jennifer stumbled into the adjoining bathing chamber, staring at her reflection and thinking that Aris would have laughed at how dirty and disheveled she looked. She could almost hear his voice teasing, "_Isn't there a small creature on Earth called a raccoon? You look just like one_."

She'd finished wiping off the smeared grease paint and was trying hard not to think about Aris when Neira returned, gesturing to her urgently. "You'll have to help me – he's a lot heavier than he looks."

"What are you talking about?" she asked dully. "Who's heav-" Jennifer broke off as she caught sight of who Neira had brought to her.

Jennifer walked over slowly, sinking to her knees beside Aris' body. Stretching out a trembling hand, she smoothed his hair back gently and placed her fingers over the terrible bruise that etched its way across his temple. His skin had already begun to turn grey.

She fumbled at the blood-caked ropes around his wrists. "Oh, God. Help me get these _off_ him."

Neira crouched down beside her, sawing at the ropes carefully until they came off. "Is… is this a good place for him, or…?"

Jennifer swallowed hard. "Maybe if we lifted him onto the bed."

"Okay," the other woman said awkwardly. "Get his arms."

They lifted him up carefully and Jennifer sat down beside him, stroking his hair. "Thank you, Neira."

"Well." Neira looked away. "Don't open the door for anyone but me – I'll be back as soon as I can; they'll be looking for me."

Jennifer nodded, and waited until the door closed before stretching out alongside the body of the man she loved and giving herself up to grief.

 

 

 

_tbc_

 

____________________________________________


	20. Heavy Lifting

__________________________________________

She didn't know how long she spent lying next to Aris, wishing that he would open his eyes and tell her that it had just been a joke. Trying to focus on how much she'd loved him and how much fun he'd been only made her realize how short their time together had been. Her mind kept replaying his execution and no matter how hard she tried to think of him _before_, the memory always gave way to one where Aris was beaten and killed right in front of her for the crime of wanting to free his people from the Goa'uld.

Jennifer pressed her face into his side to breathe in the scent of his skin, which was still slightly warm. She could kill Mon'biru for taking him from her.

As soon as that thought entered her mind, she sat up and looked down at Aris. She _could_ kill Mon'biru for taking him from her. She could and she would, Hippocrates be damned.

Jennifer wiped her eyes and tried to compose herself despite the grief that lay like a weight on her chest. When she'd gained some measure of control, she folded the bed linens over his body carefully and gave his hair one last brush with her fingertips before leaving him behind.

It was easy enough to blend into the stunned, confused crowd of Ilempiri outside and wind her way towards the Council Hall. It seemed only women were being allowed in, obviously reckoned harmless, though they _were_ checked for facepaint – Jennifer pressed her lips together as a burly Jaffa tipped her chin up and examined her uninterestedly before sending her on her way.

She'd slipped into a few dozen rooms and found no sign of the Goa'uld. It was too risky to ask anyone where he was, and Jennifer steeled herself for a long and fruitless search when the thirty-eighth room she sneaked into yielded something she'd never expected to find; a sarcophagus.

When she had asked Aris all those weeks ago, he'd told her that he'd damaged Mon'biru's sarcophagus and pinned the blame on one of the Jaffa… and that the replacement for it had been conveniently destroyed when the wormhole had shut down 'unexpectedly'. A wild surge of hope rose within her; she was going to get Aris into the sarcophagus if it was the last thing she ever did. It wasn't going to be easy to smuggle his body in, but there had to be a way and she was going to find it.

In the end, Jennifer discovered a ramp that led down to where supplies were brought in - it was almost too narrow for a mining cart and very steep. If she slipped even once, the cart would roll back down into the walkways and her plan would be for nothing. Jennifer tried not to even think about it, but it was impossible to ignore once she slipped past the Jaffa and actually stole one – it was twice as heavy as Aris. _There's no way I can get him into that building_, she realized. _Not by myself_. Once she was actually able to put Aris into it, how was she going to get someone to help her take him into the Council Hall?

The idea struck her as soon as she glanced over her shoulder and saw the large Jaffa who had examined her earlier. It could work. She'd have to talk fast and look convincing, but it could work. _But first I have to actually get him into this thing_.

She'd called him 'deadweight' as a joke all those months back on a planet light-years away, and he'd only been unconscious… now he really _was_ deadweight and getting him into the mining cart was proving to be a physical impossibility. "How can you be so _heavy?_" she grunted, struggling to lift him. Jennifer finally got him into the cart by tipping it over almost onto its side so that it was wedged beneath the sleeping platform, rolling Aris into it, and then shoving for all she was worth until the cart was back on four wheels. "If we get out of this, you're going on a diet," she gasped, leaning against the mining cart tiredly.

Jennifer had never heard of a sarcophagus working on an Ilempiri before, mainly because Aris had told her that he'd destroyed every one he'd gotten his hands on, but surely his physiology was compatible. She hoped that the hand device blast that had killed him didn't leave any lasting brain damage that was impossible to heal, either, but at this point all she wanted was to see him open his eyes and look at her again. Thankfully, rigor mortis seemed to take longer to set in with his people so he was relatively easier to move than another man would be.  
"Help me," she asked the Jaffa who had inspected her earlier. "I need to take this inside to Lord Mon'biru."  
He adjusted his grip on his staff weapon and peered inside the cart, and Jennifer moved the blanket she'd used to cover Aris with. "What would he want with that?" he demanded.

Jennifer flipped the blanket back over Aris' bruised face. "Our God has decided to revive him and teach him that His vengeance goes even beyond death." At the Jaffa's puzzled look, she leaned in. "Mon'biru will revive Aris Boch and torture him to death countless times. He only wished to dishearten the people by staging a public execution. As Mon'biru's priestess, I have been chosen to bring my Lord his plaything."

After what seemed like forever, the Jaffa nodded and took control of the cart. "Follow me." She trailed after him, her pulse thundering in her ears. It was a miracle that they only met three others on their way, and Jennifer struggled to control her breathing as they finally reached the chamber that housed the sarcophagus.

She opened the cover of the huge, ornate coffin and stepped back to allow the Jaffa to place Aris inside it. She bit her lip to keep from protesting as he unceremoniously dumped the lifeless body of her lover inside the sarcophagus, casting about for something she could use a weapon. Her eyes fell on a heavy-looking bust of a System Lord she didn't recognize, and when the Jaffa turned around she swung it at his head with as much force as she could muster. He went down with a satisfactory, resounding crash and Jennifer stepped over him towards the sarcophagus.

Pushing the lid closed, she hit as many of the sigils as she could find and sagged in relief against it when she felt the minute vibration beneath her hands. _Now to get rid of this one_, Jennifer thought as she looked back at the unconscious Jaffa sprawled on the stone floor. She fashioned a rope from his cloak and, securing it beneath his arms, slipped the other end over her shoulder and pulled as hard as she could. She managed to attach him to the empty naquidah mining cart and sent him down the ramp with it – with his armor, he wouldn't be hurt too badly when he slammed into the heavy door leading to the street and by the time he woke up and either went for help or came after her, Aris would be back with her and they would be long gone.

At least, that was the plan.

She didn't count on the sarcophagus finally opening and him being inside it, still dead. "No. No, no, no, _no_," she screamed, bruising her fists on the stone. Footsteps were approaching at a run, a lot of footsteps, and Aris' eyes were still closed in the smeared, bloodied black mask of his face paint. "Wake up, we have to… just wake _up_," Jennifer sobbed. It should have worked. Why hadn't it _worked_?  
Yells in a language she hardly understood clearly conveyed triumph at finding her, and she hurriedly pushed the lid of the sarcophagus closed once more – the very least she could do was to protect Aris' body from being defiled while she was still alive to see it happen.

Jennifer was knocked to the ground violently, and she tasted blood as her face hit the stone lip of the sarcophagus pedestal. "Where are the other Tau'ri?" Mon'biru's voice demanded. A boot was planted in her ribs, and she cried out in pain. "_Answer!_"

"Gone… left for Earth," Jennifer gasped.

Her head was wrenched up by a fist in her hair, and she stared up at the angry Goa'uld in front of her. "You lie. _Where are they?_"

"They went back to Earth through the Gate," she said, wincing as the Jaffa holding her tugged on her hair warningly. "I swear; it's just me."

"And you thought you could use my sarcophagus to bring _that_ back to life," Mon'biru sneered. "Open it."  
Jennifer stretched out her hands pleadingly. "It didn't work. Please, just leave his body alone."

"I think not." Mon'biru began to turn to issue the command once again and Jennifer took advantage of her guard's momentary distraction to wrench herself from his grasp, lunging towards the Goa'uld and screaming her hatred. Mon'biru caught her by the throat and lifted her off of her feet. "What I think I _will_ do is to watch you suffocate." His fingers tightened as she choked, clawing at his hand.

She kicked out as hard as she could, catching him in the ribs. Mon'biru's grip tightened, and he brought his left hand up in front of her face. The palm stone in the ribbon device pressed against her skin and Jennifer kicked her legs frantically as she felt it heat up. Her vision blurred as the fingers on her throat kept tightening, and she was faintly aware of yelling. Yelling, and someone was fighting.

Mon'biru snarled something moments before the hand wearing the ribbon device exploded into a spray of blood and flesh, and she fell to the ground. The sound of blows and the dull thud of a knife hitting bone made her struggle to her hands and knees, wiping the mess from her face as she gasped for air. The pain in her ribs made her cry out and fall back down to the floor, but then hands were helping her to her knees and…

Her eyes filled with tears. "Aris."

 

 

_tbc_


	21. What Kept You?

__________________________________________

 

He'd never considered himself to be particularly claustrophobic, but nearly changed his mind about it when he opened his eyes and discovered that he was inside something that closely resembled a coffin. Aris remembered being beaten until he'd forgotten how it felt to _not_ be in pain, the shame of not being able to deliver on his promise to free his people from the Goa'uld, the look on Jenny's face as he was dragged up on the Council Hall's steps… after that, he couldn't remember much of anything past intense pressure inside his skull as if he were suffering roshna headache caused by withdrawal.

The abrupt realization that he had been dead, and now he wasn't, was interrupted by the sound of a voice that Aris had thought he'd never hear again. The inside of the whatever-it-was that he was in began to glow with a white light as he fumbled with the lid, trying desperately to get out as he recognized another voice.

_Sarcophagi have pressure-activated seams on the outside, but this is the first time I've ever been in one – where_ are _they?_ Aris' fingers finally found the inside release mechanism and the panels slid open silently, giving him a first-rate view of backsides belonging to four Jaffa. He stole a knife from one of them and hamstrung its former owner as he rolled out of the sarcophagus and onto the floor. As the man fell, screaming in surprised pain, Aris kicked another Jaffa's feet out from under him.

The others rushed at him, shouting, but he'd seen what was happening only a few feet away; Mon'biru was strangling Jenny. Aris drew the knife across the still-screaming Jaffa's throat and shoved it up into the chest of the one lunging at him with a staff weapon. Using it to lever himself up, Aris wrenched it away and used it to club the third Jaffa – the man went down, cracking his head on the lip of the raised paving stones surrounding the sarcophagus. Finishing the fourth off with a knife, Aris raised the staff weapon and aimed it at the hand the Goa'uld was using to choke Jenny.

He fired, and the hand exploded into shards of bloody bone and meat – Jenny fell to the floor and Aris plucked the chipped knife from the dead Jaffa's breastplate, crossing quickly to the maimed Goa'uld. Mon'biru's eyes widened in disbelief and no small amount of fear as Aris flipped the dagger in his hand, point down. There had been so many ways he'd dreamed of killing the monster that had tormented his people – Aris had always wanted Mon'biru to die slowly. Finding it trying to murder the woman he thought of as his lifemate enraged him, and as he heard her coughing and gasping for air, he made the decision that simply being the one to end Mon'biru's existence was good enough.

Aris drove the knife in deep, twisting the handle before pulling it out and stabbing down again until he hit bone. Mon'biru's eyes flashed for the last time as he leaned on the handle, and Aris waited to make sure he was dead before vaulting over the body and going to Jenny. She was struggling to lift herself up, but collapsed just as he reached her.

He lifted her as carefully as he could, and cupped the side of her face tenderly as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Aris."

"My Jenny."

She winced in pain and pressed a hand to her side. "What took you so long?"

He dropped to his knees and guided her arm around his neck, lifting her slowly. "Try not to talk."

"I'm dreaming you," Jenny said, her head lolling back against his arm. The marks of Mon'biru's fingers were in vivid red against her skin, rapidly flowering into a dark purple. "Isn't that what happens when you're dying? You see…you see things."

Aris carried her to the sarcophagus and lowered her inside. "You're not dying of anything, except perhaps an overdose of melodrama."

"What-"

"Hush now. I'll be here waiting for you," he promised. Aris lightly trailed a finger down the side of her face, which was swelling from its impact on the stone floor. It closed over her and he stood there for a moment, resting his palm on the lid, before turning to the bodies lying sprawled out all around him.

He crouched down next to Mon'biru's corpse with a knife taken from the Goa'uld's belt – ironically it was the same one that had been used to torture him before the public execution – and got to work. There were no sarcophagi in existence that could heal a severed head. Aris carried the other bodies into an adjoining chamber after he attached Mon'biru's head to a ceremonial spear and braced it into an upright position, covering it with a length of cloth sliced from the dead snake's cloak.

It would be so easy to simply relax, now that he'd finally carried out his promise to kill Mon'biru, but Aris knew that their fight was just beginning. Once any of the other Goa'uld discovered that naquidah-rich Ilempir was without an overlord, it would be open season upon them.

"It really _is_ you," Jenny said from behind him, and Aris turned to see her climbing out of the sarcophagus.

"In the skin."

"It's in the _flesh_."

"Same thing. Now, are you coming over here or do I have to collect you?"

"I'll meet you halfway," she said, her voice cracking as she swung her legs over the side. He was there, folding her into his arms before she could even take one step. Jenny burrowed against him, exhaling a flood of tears as he stroked her back and finger-combed her hair. "When I opened it, and you were still-"

Aris stopped her words with a kiss, tilting her head back and placing more kisses on the bridge of her nose, each eyelid, and along her jaw before saying "I love you."

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

 

The remaining Jaffa had been rounded up in the selfsame pens that they'd intended to cage the native population in, until a place to send them could be found. There was no shortage of men and women willing to serve as sentries, so the Jaffa weren't going anywhere unobserved.

Jennifer was kept busy setting broken bones, stitching lacerations, and administering painkillers. The more severely wounded had been taken to the sarcophagus, as well as the dead bodies whose mortal wounds weren't beyond repair – it was an unfortunate, sad fact that sarcophagi could not heal all of those who died.

"Why are you still here, child?" Neira's voice startled her into nearly dropping a roll of bandages, and Jennifer lurched forward to grab it before it hit the ground. "You've shown us how to do your work." The tall woman snatched the bandages from Jennifer's hands. "Your work is now elsewhere – now _go_."

Neira had been furious with her after she'd discovered what Jennifer had done at such risk to herself, when Aris had told her to look after the human woman. She had immediately collected a small army of uninjured Ilempiri to learn triage, and was set on shooing Jennifer off in Aris' general direction. "He's busy, Neira. He doesn't need me; I'd just be in the way."

"It is thanks to you that he is here. You will not be in his way," her friend scowled. "If you do not leave now, I will tie you up and carry you to him." When Neira eyed the strips of linen being used for bandages, Jennifer decided that it couldn't hurt to go see what Aris was up to.

She found him organizing teams to take the Jaffa into the mines and discussing something in his own language – Jennifer caught the words 'trouble' and 'Goa'uld' before Aris realized that she was there. "I didn't mean to interrupt," she apologized. "I can come back…"

Aris stretched out a hand to stop her. "No, it's fine. Wait a moment?" She nodded, feeling self-conscious as the others looked at her. He issued a few short, low-voice instructions and then came to reach for her hand. "Let's go," he murmured.

Jennifer averted her face from the grisly sight of Mon'biru's head impaled on a staff outside, and Aris' fingers tightened on hers reflexively. "Is there, um, anything else you need to do?" she asked tentatively. After the first emotion-filled minutes, they'd quickly realized that they couldn't afford to spend any more time in private – they each had work to do, and a proper reunion would have to wait.

"Just one thing," Aris said, and she had to fight back tears of disappointment before he stopped and tipped her face up with a finger underneath her chin. "Oh, I didn't – no, I meant that _you_ were the thing that-"

"I told you to stop making fun of me," she wailed, giving his midriff a punch that hurt her more than it hurt him. "Ow!" Aris kissed her sore knuckles, and she felt her entire body incline towards him. "You're a mess, by the way."

He ran his fingers over the paint that was still smeared around his eyes and patted at the ratted tangle of his hair. "Maybe I should bathe."

"I'd recommend it. I'm not kissing you again until you get that crap off of your face."

"Really," Aris drawled, arching an eyebrow. Before she could scoot out of range he pressed her against a leaning stone column and kissed her until she sagged against him, moaning into his mouth. Aris' hands explored her deftly, opening her clothing and caressing her skin, his body strong and hard against hers.

She pushed him away reluctantly. "Not here – how far are we from the baths?"

"Too far," Aris complained, reaching for her again.

"Not _here_," Jennifer repeated, raking a hand through her hair as she cast about for a suitably private place. She pointed. "What about there-"

He scooped her up and was past the threshold in what seemed like mere seconds. Aris swept an arm across a workbench covered in tools and mesh Jaffa armor, sending it flying in three different directions, and lifted her atop it. Jennifer opened her legs willingly, tearing at the laces of his pants until the ties snapped.

Aris groaned as she pulled him out, stroking and squeezing while she wriggled on the table to get closer. He surged forward and she dug her nails into his back as he pounded into her, gasping something she couldn't hear because she was so, so close. Aris swore against the side of her neck as he came, his back muscles tightening under her hands, and the arrhythmic knock of his pubic bone against her clitoris was what pushed her over the edge. Her legs clamped around his hips as her entire body trembled – Aris ground against her, pulling her head back by grasping a fistful of hair and sealing his mouth over hers.

"Oh my God," was all Jennifer could say as she clung to him, her head still spinning. She'd thought that a reunion like theirs would be slow, tender, and passionate… well, they still had time for the slow and tender part of it.

A few minutes later, it was relief that went far beyond the physical as they entered the baths together and discarded their dirty, torn clothing. They exchanged whispers, touches, and kisses as almost all of the marks of their ordeal were washed away. Being able to look at her lover's face, his features not disguised by blood, dirt, and greasepaint was extremely pleasing to her… though she _did_ make the unwelcome discovery of four new scars that slashed down his right temple close to his eye. It didn't seem right to her that Mon'biru was allowed to leave his mark on anything, much less Aris' face.

Jennifer ducked her head under the water, resurfacing to watch Aris finish combing the tangles from his hair. "Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" she blurted out suddenly, well aware that she'd never mentioned anything of the kind. It helped that he'd told her first, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to feel nervous.

Aris looked at her. "No, you didn't."

"Well, I do. Love you, I mean."

"Good."

"Aris?"

"Yes."

"Will you marry me?"

Aris tilted his head to one side. "Yes."

 

 

 

 

  
_fin_   



End file.
